vic "You're going to deal with a bunch more of that once you're in med school, right?"

    mc "True."

    vic "No job is... {i}perfect{/i}. I know you can do the work, you can do anything, but do you enjoy some aspects of it?"

    mc "Do I, uh..."

        "Yeah, I'm enjoying it.":

            "In my heart of hearts, I've had fun this week. It hasn't been without anxiety or doubt, but when in the thick of it..."

            mc "Yep. There are stimulating aspects about the work."

            "The perverted dance I did with Felicia in her own home... looking back at it right now, gave me a sense of exhilaration."

            mc "I'm getting to see a new side of life, in a sense."

            vic "You mean you're interacting with adults instead of school children?"

            mc "You could put it that way."

        "It's hard to say.":

            "I thought about it. Weighed the answer."

            mc "I'm not entirely sure yet. Everything is still so new."

            "I couldn't deny it."

            mc "I've met some people I'm glad to know."

            rose "That Hana girl?"

            mc "Among others -- and some people that I'd rather not know."

            vic "That's every job."

            mc "Heh. I suppose so."

    vic "Does Dr. Kohler treat you well?"

    mc "He... uh... {i}very well{/i}."

    mc "Actually, I wanted to ask you something..."

    vic "Shoot."

    mc "A few weeks ago, you said he always seemed {i}off{/i} to you. What did you mean by that?"

    vic "Hmm..."

    vic "I didn't mean anything by it."

    mc "Yes, you did. What was it?"

    vic "Well... it's just..."

    "I wanted to know what she had noticed about him that I had missed."

    vic "He always just kinda creeped me out. He's fake as hell, y'know?"

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Was it that obvious?"

    vic "Eh, maybe I'm just more... {i}experienced with his type{/i}."

    mc "What's his type?"

    vic "Men who say too much, too loudly, with too much happening on their face and nothing in their eyes."

    mc "So it was just a gut feeling?"

    vic "Why do you ask? Has he done anything to make you...?"

    mc "No. It's just, well, he curses a lot more than I remember. Makes more... inappropriate jokes."

    vic "Oh... heh..."

    vic "Is that all?"

    mc "Yeah. Guess I just remember him being in teacher mode."

    vic "Oh, yeah? Well, don't read too much into my feelings."

    vic "I'm probably just projecting, y'know?"

    vic "Are you enjoying working with Ian?"

        mc "Yeah, he's... truly my friend."

        vic "Was that ever in doubt?"

        mc "No, sometimes it just catches me off guard. Sometimes it feels like our feelings for each other are uneven."

        mc "I feel a little bad when I'm less enthused than he is about... {i}us{/i}."

        mc "I suppose."

        vic "You don't know?"

        mc "He's different than when I was a kid."

        vic "So are you, hun."

        mc "...fair enough. Sometimes it feels like our feelings for each other are uneven."

    vic "That's bound to happen in any friendship. The important thing is you're his friend when it counts."

    mc "Hmm..."

    vic "What is it?"

    mc "His mom offered me a bribe to convince him to go back to college."

    vic "Huh? What?!"

    mc "Yeah, like to help me get into med school."

    "I didn't tell her that offer morphed into something more open-ended because my school was already going to be taken care of."

    vic "Nothing wrong with higher education..."

    mc "His dad wants him to work for his company."

    vic "{b}Oh.{/b}"

    vic "That's a bad idea."

    mc "Isn't it? He'd be so pissed if he found out about her scheming."

    mc "Uh... do {i}you{/i} think he needs to change?"

    vic "Of course not! First of all, you can never {i}change{/i} a person. You might be able to get them to do what you want, but they'll never fully satisfy your ideal of them."

    mc "It's not like I can convince him anyway. He'll do whatever the hell he wants."

    mc "What's the second of all?"

    vic "I resent the idea that our Ian isn't good enough for that bastard of a father of his."

    mc "You don't think he needs to become a little more self-sufficient?"

    vic "...you're considering her offer?"

        "You do worry about Ian occasionally.":

            mc "Forgetting about his mother's bribe, I do kiiiinda think some direction in his life would be beneficial..."

            mc "The way he lives right now..."

            mc "He's got a dim view on women and just people in general. I don't think his mindset will make him happy in the long run..."

            vic "Has he told you he's unhappy?"

            mc "He hasn't. I'm just assuming..."

            vic "You know very well happiness isn't some homogenous ideal with a one-sized-fits-all solution."

            "..."

            mc "I guess I just have trouble comprehending it. Living life and not working toward anything in particular... it's..."

            vic "It makes you feel like you're better than him and that it's your job to fix it?"

            mc "I... I mean..."

            "I didn't know what to say to that."

            vic "I'm not saying that's the case here, I just think... If you're worried about Ian's happiness, looking inward and questioning your own assumptions could help you express that without your intentions being misunderstood."

            mc "Maybe..."

            vic "Whatever you do, definitely don't do it because of his shrew of a mother's offer."

        "Ian has his rough edges, but it's not your place to smooth them out.":

            mc "Of course not, I just thought it was... sad."

            vic "...to answer your question, sure. He could use a little straightening out."

            vic "He's spoiled and he might be in for a rude awakening one day."

            mc "So you think I should try to convince him to stand on his own two feet?"

            vic "All I think is you're his friend. If you think he's living excessively, you should say something."

            vic "You can't control another person, but you can talk to them. Just be {b}careful{/b} with your words, as to not be misunderstood. "

            mc "What do you mean?"

            vic "Make sure he knows it's coming from an open heart and not a place where you're trying to force him to meet your expectations."

            mc "Easier said than done, but..."

            "I had my mother's own parenting as an ample example of that philosophy."

        "No. Ian doesn't need to change.":

            mc "I..."

            mc "I guess not. I don't think he really needs to change."

            "Despite me thinking he's an idiot, I can't fault him for having fun or living off his uncle's wealth."

            "I was doing that too, technically..."

            vic "Well, I don't disagree that he should grow up some. Not that I don't love him, but he's in for a rude awakening one day."

            vic "Going to college isn't gonna stop that, though."

            mc "What is?"

            vic "I don't know. Getting knocked on his ass?"

    "......"

    "..."

    vic "Now! Eat before the food gets cold!"

    mc "...oh, yeah!"

    "Nothing beats the nostalgic taste of caramelized syrup on crispy bacon."

    vic "Should I drive you back to your place?"

    mc "Oh, no... I want to walk off all this food."

    mc "Plus, a walk will give me time to think."

    vic "About what?"

    mc "How much I miss eating your breakfast every day."

    mc "Once I start making some real money, I should hire you to cook for me in the mornings."

    vic "You never liked my cooking, you toad!"

    mc "Just your dinner. I'd never talk bad about your breakfast."

    vic "Yeah, sure, sure..."

    vic "Be safe on the way home, hun."

    mc "I will."

    "Ian was on my mind all the way home. Probably because of our plans today..."

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    $ date = "introNight"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.3, 0, channel = "ambient")

    play ambient "sound effects/pond.wav"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.8, 0, channel = "ambient2")

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.8, 0, channel = "ambient3")

    play ambient2 "sound effects/woman-laugh2.wav"

    play music "music/leaving-home.ogg"

    chuck "Life is short. Something we all know of course, but its truth is only felt the closer you get to the grave."

    chuck "The truth of the matter, the truth about me is, I'm an unrepentant pervert. Always have been, lad."

    vic "I remember Dr. Kohler. Wasn't he... uh..."

    play sound "sound effects/static2.wav"

    vic "Wasn't he a bit... off?"

    play ambient3 "sound effects/creepy.wav"

    chuck "The sad reality of life is that doing what you want doesn't guarantee happiness. However, pushing your true self aside makes the prospect hopeless."

    play sound "sound effects/static2.wav"

    kat "You're a sadist, just like me. We both enjoy seeing other people struggle."

    kat "Within this building, you don't have to shy away from who you are. I'll accept you and every nook of your being, [mcf]."

    mc "Am I a bad person if I liked hitting him?"

    vic "[mcf]... that's..."

    play sound "sound effects/static2.wav"

    vic "A person can't help how they feel. What they can control is what they choose to do."

    kat "No. Most people simply live their lives callously enjoying the schadenfreude of everyday misfortune and inequity. They never fully feel out the shape and form of their very own soul."

    play sound "sound effects/static2.wav"

    fel "You... you all want more than what you have and need, else {b}you{/b} wouldn't be sitting here right now. Eat until you burst, right?"

    mc "I can't read it. What does it say?"

    vic "Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves."

    play sound "sound effects/static2.wav"

    "{size=35}Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves.{/size=35}"

    play sound "sound effects/static2.wav"

    "{size=50}Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves.{/size=50}"

    play sound "sound effects/static2.wav"

    "{size=65}Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves.{/size=65}"

    play sound "sound effects/static.wav"

    play sound "sound effects/static2.wav"

    vic "You've got to pretend. I know it's not something a good mother would say, but it's the only way to keep the school out of it. You could get expelled."

    mc "I understand. I'll do it."

    vic "Thank you, [mcf]."

    $ date = "june14day"

    play sound "sound effects/alarmclock-digital.wav"

    mc "Uuggh..."

    mc "Good morning, me..."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    play sound "sound effects/ringing-inbound.wav"

    mc "Hmm...?"

        mc "What does Mrs. Pulman want this early?"

        mc "What does the old woman want this early...?"

    "I wasn't quite enthused by who was calling. She most likely required something and it was, in my opinion, too early for that shit."

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    "*Beep!*"

    mc "Uugh... h-hello...?"

    play music "music/from-russia-with-love.ogg"

    kat "Good morning, Mr. [mcl]."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "ambient")

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "ambient2")

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "ambient3")

    mc "Mornin'... I mean..."

    mc "*Ahem* Good morning, Ma'am."

    kat "Did I wake you?"

    mc "No, I'm... just fixing a cup of coffee."

    kat "I appreciate the polite lie."

        mc "Well, the very nature of our relationship means you can't inconvenience me."

        mct "(She was the boss...)"

        kat "I'm not actually calling you under that guise right now."

        mc "You're not...?"

        mc "...heh, did you need something?"

        kat "You know, you should work on your conversational skills some. Asking someone if they need something right off the bat makes them feel like they're a burden."

        mc "Sorry. Would 'how can I help you' fit better?"

        kat "A little, but that's not why I called. I don't need any help."

        mc "Why did you...?"

    kat "How are you feeling, [mcf]?"

    mct "(She wants to know how I'm feeling...?)"

    mct "(This is a... {i}social call{/i}?)"

    "The very idea was so outside what I expected that it felt more disconcerting than if she had some depraved task for me."

    mc "I'm... fine."

    kat "Just {i}fine{/i}?"

    mc "I had a good night's sleep. No matter what's on my mind, I never have trouble sleeping..."

    mc "Is that really what you called to ask me?"

    kat "I got to thinking about our conversation last night and wanted to continue it somewhat."

    kat "I was pleased you came to me for advice."

        mc "You weren't upset that I refused to perform with Rosalind last night?"

        kat "I would be lying if I said you performed to my expectations, but that doesn't mean I'm disappointed in you."

        kat "I've enjoyed watching you these last few weeks..."

        mc "(Uh, okay...)"

        mc "You are?"

        kat "I am. Having you around has added a new dimension to my job."

    mc "You... {i}really{/i} know how to have fun, don't you?"

    kat "I find pleasure where I can, but nothing's perfect."

    kat "Not yet, at least..."

    mc "So, you enjoy watching me like a lab rat?"

    kat "{b}Yes{/b}, but I very much hope you can appreciate me being honest about that and I very much believe you're equipped to understand where I'm coming from."

    mc "I don't know how to respond to that."

    kat "You don't need to. All that matters... {b}one second{/b}."

    kat "Did you need something, hun?"

    play music "music/dog-park.ogg"

    man "I seem to have misplaced my reading glasses. Have you seen them?"

    kat "I believe..."

    kat "Last I saw them, they were resting on the fireplace in your study."

    man "Heh, what are they doing there?"

    kat "I don't know... they must have gotten up there all on their own."

    man "That's the most logical conclusion!"

    kat "I brewed a pot of coffee. Grab a cup and a scone before you head out for golf later, okay?"

    man "What would I do without you?"

    "*Chwup!*"

    kat "You'd still be looking for your glasses."

    man "That I would. You're on a call, I take it?"

    kat "I am. Women Fund business."

    man "I'll get out of your hair."

    kat "Oh, Albert...!"

    kat "Don't stay out too late tonight. I'm cooking dinner."

    albert "What's the occasion?"

    kat "I just feel like it."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/from-russia-with-love.ogg"

    kat "Sorry about that. Where were we?"

    mc "Uh..."

    mc "You told me you were thinking about our conversation last night."

    kat "{b}That I was{/b}..."

    mct "(That \"aside\" was a little too human for comfort...)"

    kat "I was going to say, it bodes well for our working relationship that you came to me - and in fewer words, thank you for your trust, [mcf]."

    mc "I just found my way there I guess..."

    kat "I'm not going to say I'm the only one who understands you, but I promise I can make you comfortable with who you are."

    kat "I just hope what I'm preparing for you will give you a new perspective."

    mc "So you said, but... what is it? You're not going to tell me, are you?"

    kat "To be truthful, I'm not entirely sure yet myself. I have an inkling of an idea though."

    kat "A starting point, really. That we'll take slowly and see where it goes."

    mc "Are you certain I'll agree to this?"

    kat "Oh, you'll accept."

        kat "Unlike Harper, this time there'll be no question of conscience. You'll be able to act with full impunity."

        kat "Just like you did with Harper, except this time, there will be no question of conscience. You'll be able to act with full impunity."

    kat "In the words of Mrs. Ford... you'll be able to eat until you burst."

    mc "You sound certain of that."

    kat "{b}I am.{/b} You'll have no room for doubt or second guessing yourself."

    mc "I'm... getting excited."

    mct "(And a little apprehensive...)"

    kat "Good. Keep your calendar open this week. I will be."

    mc "So soon?"

    kat "Why wait? You said you were excited and, honestly, so am I."

    kat "I can't wait to see what's inside you, [mcf]."

    mc "{size=10}Alrighty...{/size=10}"

    kat "Say, are you going to be home around noon?"

    mc "I will be."

    kat "Good. I'm going to have Warren deliver the tools for our experiment around that time."

    mc "...alright, I'll be here to receive it."

    "Good thing Ian and I planned to stay in today."

    kat "You're not going to ask what it is? Aren't you curious?"

    mc "I'll soon have that answer in person."

    kat "Very well. Look forward to it."

    mc "Where will I need to go?"

    kat "No need for any of that. I'll come to you."

    kat "You'll be most comfortable at home. Ta-ta~"

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    "*Beep*"

    mc "......."

    mct "(...no room for second guessing myself?)"

    "My mind raced trying to figure out how that could possibly be."

    "My imagination didn't stop either, not through breakfast or even when Ian called to tell me he was on his way over."

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/door-openclose.wav"

    "*Khweeeee*"

    play sound "sound effects/walk-wood.mp3"

    mct "(Hmm, he's a tad early... that's unlike him.)"

    "Around noon, Ian came through my front door."

    mct "(At least...)"

    mct "(I hope that's Ian who just came through my front door.)"

    play music "music/hotshot.ogg"

    kil "...'sup."

    mc "Nothing much. What about you?"

    kil "Mmmh... well..."

        mct "(Well, your girlfriend broke up with you?)"

        kil "Same ol', same old I guess."

        mc "...is that right?"

        kil "Uh huh."

        mc "...you get some good rest last night?"

        kil "Same ol', same old."

        mc "You get some good rest last night?"

    kil "Eh, so-so. You know me, I'm a light sleeper."

    mc "Since when? Your nasally ass kept me up all the time with your snoring."

    kil "It's probably the new bed I got last year when I moved into my apartment. That or I'm starting to think my place is haunted."

    mc "...haunted? That a joke?!"

    kil "No, there's all sorts of weird noises at night and the remote is never where I left it."

    mc "Maybe your one night stands just get bored after you doze off?"

    kil "Bah! Ghosts are real man! What about that shit we saw on Halloween?"

    mc "10 years ago...?"

    kil "Yeah!"

    mc "That was a dog, moving through the neighboring orchard to your family's vacation home."

    kil "...was it? You so sure?"

    mc "...yes?"

    kil "...see, you're not so sure yourself!"

    mc "My mom shouldn't have let you watch so many horror movies as a kid."

    kil "Shut your whore mouth!"

    mc "I mean, how many times can a person watch the Gates of Hell trilogy on repeat?"

    kil "Stop--"

    mc "--don't answer that, cause I know the answer thanks to you two."

    kil "Stop yapping, you enjoyed it too."

    mc "I did, but that was a dog ten years ago, idiot."

    kil "...heh, yeah! Probably!"

    kil "It was kinda nice believing in that shit though. A lot more wonder to the world when we were twelve."

    mc "What are you talking about? Neither of us have this shit figured out. {b}Still plenty to wonder about{/b}."

    kil "You know what I mean."

    mc "I actually don't. Growing bored of the hedonism?"

    kil "Ah, forget it. You're being deliberately obtuse."

    mc "So, what do you want to do today? Games? A movie? Both?"

        mc "I'm free until tonight."

        kil "What do you have going tonight?"

        mc "Hana wanted to do some stuff. Actually, I got to figure that stuff out..."

        kil "You dog. Shitting where you eat."

        kil "Don't forget when that goes poorly, and it always does, you'll still be working with her."

        mc "It's not like that. We're just having some fun."

        mc "She wanted to decompress."

        kil "Shit man, I can tell you're into each other. You playin' stupid or what?"

        mc "I just think she doesn't have a lot of options. Considering our jobs, I don't think either of us are equipped for anything serious."

            mct "(Plus there's the whole thing I have with your ex-girlfriend... whatever that is.)"

            mct "(Plus there's the whole thing I have with your girlfriend... whatever that is.)"

            mct "(No, definitely not...)"

        kil "Well, let me know how that goes later, alright?"

        mc "Yeah, sure. So...?"

        kil "So let's play some fucking games, dude."

        kil "Let's play some fucking games, dude. Like old times."

        mct "(Right, like old times... that was the impetus for all of this.)"

    mc "Ha, fine, but I don't think your birthday gift came with any."

    kil "You haven't even opened it yet, have you?"

    mc "I've been busy."

    kil "Well, luckily, you can buy shit digitally now. Where is it?"

    mc "I'll go get it."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/horrible.ogg"

    kil "This wasn't what I had in mind. We never played chess."

    mc "It's not my fault the internet is slow and games are so big nowadays."

    mc "I was hoping this would take longer. You fucking trounced me."

    mc "When did you get so good at chess?"

        kil "Before Go, my uncle forced me to play chess with him. Like a lot."

        kil "My uncle forced me to play with him a ton. Like a lot."

    kil "Like way, WAY too much."

    mc "Still... is he good or am I just bad?"

    kil "Oh? You feeling a bit dumb, doc?"

    kil "Does getting beat by your dumbass friend make you feel like a moron? Hmmm? Huh?"

    mc "Not at all..."

    mc "It's not like I play."

    kil "...hmfph."

    mc "What?"

    kil "Just remembering how pissy I'd get when I lost to Mina in this dumb game of hers."

        mct "(I'm familiar with it...)"

    mc "Yeah...?"

        mct "(Is he already reminiscing?)"

    kil "Ah, I'm like a stupid kid in a lot of ways."

    mc "That's got its pluses and minuses, right?"

    kil "Right... uh, well, by the way... Mina broke up with me earlier."

        mc "That was expected. She saw you porking your maid."

        kil "Yeah. It was {b}expected{/b}..."

        mc "What... really?!"

        kil "Yeeeeah..."

        "I did my best to act surprised, even though I knew it was coming."

        kil "I mean, I guess not really unexpected given how I treated her."

    mc "Regretting it?"

    kil "Hell no, I mean... not like it was going to last even if I was on my best behavior."

    kil "...and who would want it to? The thought of ending up like my mom and dad makes me want to puke."

    mc "You liked her though, right?"

    kil "She had her moments."

    mc "You can say yes. I won't call you a pussy."

    kil "Ha, yeah, fine... I liked her, not that it means anything coming from me."

    mc "And why wouldn't it?"

    kil "Because I'm... {i}I don't know{/i}."

    kil "It just doesn't."

    mc "You ever hear of a self-fulfilling prophecy?"

    kil "Shut up. We took the same psych elective in high school."

    mc "Just sayin'..."

    kil "..."

    mc "{b}So{/b}, {i}do you regret it{/i}?"

    kil "Hmm..."

    kil "Yeah, kinda..."

    mc "Why?"

    kil "The funny thing is I have no fucking clue why. She didn't make a dramatic production of it. She looked hurt like I'd never seen her before, but she was so matter of fact... that felt... I don't know."

    kil "For a minute there, it kinda made me feel like a piece of shit... but then I remembered, hey, my life is pretty {b}dope{/b}."

    mc "I mean... you're not wrong. You're living the dream of every 20-something male, right?"

    kil "Ha, ha. Yeah, I know."

    mc "I have to ask though, why even get into a relationship in the first place then?"

    kil "I didn't really think that far ahead."

    kil "Mina's a smokeshow and she was eating out of the palm of my hand. Keeping her around just seemed like the thing to do."

    mc "Just the thing to do...?"

    kil "It's not my fault she ended up being... I don't know, someone that wasn't half-bad talking to?"

    kil "*Sigh* ...or that she was so absurdly thoughtful of my wants and needs?"

    "The more he talked about it, the more I could see he was feeling remorseful in his own way."

    kil "I have no fuckin' clue what she got out of it."

    "Whether it was because of her pain or that he let a toy slip away, I could not say..."

    "Based on my long history with him, I had a feeling it was the first, but the cynic in me could never be silenced..."

    kil "Well, whatever. Bitches come and go. I'm just glad you and I are still vibing."

    "Whatever the case, it seemed he preferred not to introspect."

    kil "So, let's talk about something else."

    "Which in my opinion, will one day bite him in the ass. Sleepwalking through life might cause him to carelessly jeopardize his standing at the club or just generally make him unhappy..."

    mct "(...but that's just my opinion. He'll live and learn without me being pushy about it. Still...)"

        "{color=#FF1493}\[Bromance]{/color} Encourage Ian to self-reflect more." if Killian_Bromance >= 25:

            "...Ian's my friend and friends should challenge each other."

            mc "You always do that."

            kil "Do what? Oh, please... I know that look."

            mc "You avoid thinking about things that are uncomfortable."

            kil "So does everyone else."

            mc "No, not everyone. MOST people probably, but..."

            kil "What are you getting at here?"

            mc "I'm just trying to tell you that thinking through things can be beneficial sometimes."

            kil "Thank you for the truism, [mcf]."

            mc "Mina breaking up with you without any fuss bugged you for some reason. You're downplaying it, but I can tell. It irks you."

            kil "I..."

            kil "The answer doesn't fucking matter. That ship has sailed."

            mc "I'm not saying to think about it because it will help you with Mina, I'm saying think about it because it will help you learn more about yourself."

            kil "I'm not seeing the point in that."

            mc "...uh, because knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom?"

            kil "See? You're just bullshitting right now."

            mc "*Sigh* Let me ask you something. What do you want out of life? Do you want to take over for your uncle at the club?"

            mc "Have you thought about what you would do if you got left out to dry? If you didn't have your family's money anymore?"

            kil "Now you're sounding like my mom."

            mc "I'm your friend, Ian. Your {b}only{/b} friend."

            kil "Damn straight you are."

            mc "All I'm asking you to do is to introspect when things are out of place in your headspace - and Mina is a good place to start."

            kil "...because it will make me a better person?"

            mc "{b}No.{/b}"

            mc "I'm not suggesting you stop being a womanizer. I'm not telling you to stop sleeping around. I'm not telling you to not get into any monogamous relations anymore."

            mc "I'm not telling you to {i}not{/i} do any of that."

            mc "I'm suggesting that figuring out what dissatisfied you about how things ended with her will help you determine if it's worth the effort to alter or mask your behavior."

            kil "Ha...! You're the only one I know who'd phrase it that way!"

            kil "...so, what I want out of life?"

            mc "Besides having fun."

            kil "{size=10}Besides having fun...{/size=10}."

            kil "I don't know. If I didn't have my family's money, I'd be shit out of luck."

            mc "Does that worry you?"

            kil "Sometimes. I mean, my mom and dad cutting me off is one thing, but Uncle Chuck would never do that."

            mc "Are you satisfied with being dependent on other people?"

            kil "I'm not {i}dissatisfied{/i} with it."

            mc "That... I wouldn't be happy with that myself. It's fine right now, but what about when you're 40?"

            kil "That's 20 years from now."

            mc "It'll go by quicker than you expect."

            kil "Okay, full transparency... August handing some of his shares to Hana got me thinking..."

            kil "Thinking about why Uncle Chuck hasn't ever mentioned something like that."

            mc "Maybe he's planning on living forever."

            kil "Heh, you joke, but I wouldn't put it past that old bastard. Still..."

            kil "I wish he would. I don't know why, but it would... mean something to me."

            mc "Alright, I'm not going to beat a dead horse. But will you do me a favor? Think about two things: why that is and..."

            kil "...Mina?"

            mc "Yeah, and we'll continue this conversation later."

            kil "Shit man, you and I never talk about this crap."

            mc "I know, but it doesn't have to be all about sitting on our asses and reminiscing."

            kil "...yeah, maybe not."

            mc "I say that, but the game's probably done downloading now."

        "Ian is his own person.":

            "...I'm not in any position to lecture people about looking inward."

            mc "Yeah, the game's probably done downloading now."

        "{color=#696969}\[Bromance] Encourage Ian to self-reflect more." if Killian_Bromance <= 24:

    mc "Let's hop in."

    kil "Bring it on!"

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/door-knock.wav"

    "*Knock, *Knock*"

    war "Hey, kid. You there?"

    kil "Is that Warren?"

    mc "Yeeeeah, don't ask. I'll explain later."

    play sound "sound effects/door-openclose.wav"

    play music "music/george-street-shuffle.ogg"

    mc "Good afternoon, big man."

    war "Big man...?"

    mc "You're a big man, aren't you?"

    "(The kind that beats up prostitutes...)"

        mc "Is that what Mrs. Pulman asked you to bring to me?"

        mc "Is that what Kat asked you to bring to me?"

    war "That's right. It's all yours."

    kil "...'sup, man."

    war "What does it look like?"

    kil "Playing delivery boy."

    war "Good guess."

    kil "What don't you do for the old woman? You wipe her ass too?"

    war "If she keeps paying me like she does, {b}gladly{/b}."

    kil "Doesn't the club pay you...?"

    war "*Ahem* Yeah, that's what I meant."

    "..."

    mc "Hmm...? This is... uh..."

    kil "What's all that stuff?"

    mc "That's actually my question..."

    "When she said he had something to deliver, I thought the items would be less... innocuous."

    "Before me were a couple of ping pong balls, a couple of golf balls, a whistle like you'd see a track coach wear, a tooth brush of all things, and..."

    "Oh, a mysterious black box."

    mc "It's..."

    "Yeeeep. I knew what this was. The question I had was how did it fit into the bigger picture."

    mct "(All of this is for her experiment? Like what the hell am I going to do with a toothbrush?)"

    war "Uh, huh. Yeah. I'm still here... put him on?"

    war "Here. Mrs. P wants to talk to you."

    mc "Hello?"

    kat "You take a look at what I put together?"

    mc "I did... I'm a bit confused why you had Warren deliver a bunch of small things like that though."

    kat "Oh, I just want you to think about how you would, in a perfect world, use those on another human being."

    mc "What is this? Like homework?"

    kat "Sure! Call it your homework to help you become more comfortable with yourself."

    "Part of me couldn't believe I was going along with this, but there was no harm in humoring her. If I didn't like what she had planned I'd bail, but there was the off chance this might actually help me adjust to my role at the club."

    mc "Okay, fine. What would I do with all this stuff, huh?"

    kat "It's a pretty simple assortment, but I think working with limited options will be the most interesting and revealing."

    mc "...and who am I going to use this on?"

    kat "Right now, that doesn't matter."

    mc "Yeah, I thought so."

    "Less chance of me backing out that way."

        kat "Anyway, enjoy the rest of your Sunday afternoon and I hope you have a nice evening with Miss Rhodes."

        mc "How do you know about that?"

        kat "Oh, I don't remember. I think you mentioned it last night or I heard you say it to someone."

        mc "..."

        kat "Talk to you later, [mcf]."

        kat "Anyway, do enjoy the rest of your Sunday, [mcf]."

        mc "Good bye, Mrs. Pulman."

        mc "Good bye."

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    "*Beep*"

    mc "Thanks."

    war "I'm done here."

    mc "Seems that way."

    war "I'll see myself out then."

    war "Don't forget to put that juice in the fridge, kid."

    kil "So, what's all that junk for? Did I hear you say you're going to use those on someone?"

    mc "Uh... just club stuff, y'know."

    kil "Yeah, uh huh..."

    mct "(I don't want anything to do with this, right...?)"

        "Fucking on it was wild, but it'll probably kill me or give me cancer or some shit."

    kil "What's the fucking ping pong balls for?"

    mc "I can think of a few things."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/horrible.ogg"

        "After the Warren diversion, we got back to the plan of not doing much of anything."

        "Full-speed on the plan of not doing much of anything..."

    mc "Co-op mode after you beat my ass at chess... I can't help but feel you're not letting me get my reprisal."

    kil "I thought you didn't care about losing."

    mc "I don't... logically speaking."

    kil "Do you get competitive in your studies."

    mc "I just want to do well."

    mc "...but {b}yes{/b}."

    kil "You know what they call someone who graduated at the bottom of medical school."

    mc "{b}Doctor{/b}."

    kil "You've heard that one, huh?"

    mc "Your uncle's used that one."

    "......"

    "..."

        "My mind turned toward a topic that had been on my mind since my earlier conversation with my mother."

        "My mind suddenly turned to a topic from exactly a week ago."

    "Ian's mother and her offering of an open-ended reward for convincing Ian to go to college and work under his father."

    "There wasn't anything I wanted that she could give me, but..."

    mc "Hey... you ever think of going to college?"

        kil "We're back to this self-improvement shit already?"

        mc "I'm just curious. We've never talked about it."

        mct "(...or rather, I was so wrapped up in my own shit our senior year that I never cared to ask.)"

        kil "Uh, well..."

    kil "I mean, of course I've thought about..."

    kil "With how often my mother brings it up, it would be impossible not to."

    mc "And...?"

    kil "And I found other things to do that sounded more fun."

    mc "So, you never wanted to say, follow in your uncle's footsteps...?"

    kil "..."

    mc "...what?"

    kil "Baha, haha... haha...! Hol' on... p-pause!"

    kil "Did you just ask if... if I ever considered being a... hahaha..."

    kil "If I, {b}ME{/b}, Killian Beaufort, ever considered being a rocket scientist?"

    mc "I'm unpausing..."

    kil "Heheh, oh... ah... well... no, I never thought of studying engineering."

    kil "I thought about a couple other things, but, well..."

    mc "You found things more fun to do."

    kil "Stop! That's my health pack...!"

    mc "Uh, oops..."

    kil "Hnnng..."

    mc "So... you never considered working with your old man?"

    kil "Are you seriously asking me that?"

    mc "Hmm... no, not really."

    "I knew the answer to that one."

    "Ian's father wasn't an easy man to like or even be around. During the decade plus of our friendship, he barely even acknowledged my existence..."

    kil "God knows that's what he wants - and by extension, that's what my mom wants too."

    kil "That's good enough for me to never even have a nightmare about it in my sleep."

    "Yeah, I knew that already, without a doubt."

    "...but should I tell him about his mother's meddling? In all likelihood it would piss him off."

    mct "(I'd want to know if someone tried to pull strings from behind my back...)"

        "Be forward and honest with your friend.":

            mc "...she actually asked me last week to convince you to go to college and then work for your father."

            kil "She... {b}pause{/b}."

            kil "She did?! That's why she had me bring you over?"

            kil "Of course she fucking did...!"

            mc "Sorry for not mentioning it last week. I--"

            kil "No, I get it. It was your birthday."

            kil "I would've preferred not to know then. I would've been in a pissy mood for your party."

            mc "...are you in a pissy mood now?"

            kil "I'm trying not to be... did she appeal to you doing \"what's best for me\"? Christ, I hate that line..."

            mc "Nope. She went straight to bribing me. Offered to help expedite my medical school application."

            kil "...{b}of course she fucking did!{/b}"

            mc "I thought about refusing and not even saying anything to you, but..."

            kil "No. Thanks, [mcf]. It must have been tempting."

            mc "Not really... the club's likely to open those doors for me if I want it to - oh, and plus, you're my friend of course. I told her as much and then she countered with an open-ended offer. She seemed pretty determined."

            kil "What? An open-ended offer? Like a blank check?"

            mc "Yeah, to be determined after I convince you to do the impossible."

            kil "Interesting..."

            mc "...interesting? What's {i}interesting{/i}?"

            kil "Nothing, really."

            mc "It sounded like something."

            kil "It's just... oh, how I'd love to turn that around on her."

            mc "That wouldn't be a good idea..."

            kil "..."

            mc "Unpause?"

            kil "*Sigh* Give me a second to take a piss."

            "He was seething and doing a poor job at hiding it."

            mc "Sure. I'll pour us some drinks..."

            "Telling him was the correct choice, right?"

        "Ask what those other couple of things he considered studying were first.":

            mc "You said you thought about studying a couple of other things... what were they?"

            kil "Why the fuck you so interested in this all of a sudden? We've never talked about this kind of crap before."

            mc "I like school and this is the first time I've heard you gave college any thought. {b}What were they?{/b}"

            kil "The first one was photography and I figured who needs school to teach you that."

            mc "And the other?"

            kil "Promise not to laugh."

            mc "I can't make that promise without knowing what it is. Was it underwater basket weaving?"

            kil "Hmm... a-huh... {i}teaching{/i}."

            "......"

            "..."

            kil "Yeah, yeah... can't imagine someone like me--"

            mc "I can picture it."

            kil "No you can't."

            mc "No, I can. You always helped our classmates with the stuff they missed."

            kil "They were bullying me for my homework..."

            mc "I mean the other times, like when you used to help me catch up on the things I slept through."

            kil "When the hell was that?"

            mct "(Things used to be a bit flipped, my dude...)"

            mc "What did you consider teaching?"

            kil "History."

            mc "Really? I didn't know you had an interest."

            kil "Mr. Blau was a pretty cool dude... his world history class was some of the most fun I had learning."

            mc "Really?"

            kil "See. You're laughing at me."

            mc "No, you're just... kinda adorable right now."

            kil "Shut up!"

            mc "So, why'd you decide against it? And don't say because there were more fun things to do."

            kil "It was just some half-baked thought. My parents wanted me to go to college, but they wouldn't have approved of that."

            kil "--and if I'm going to piss them off, I thought it was better to go all the way."

            mc "So, that's where you chose not to half-ass things, eh?"

            kil "Heh, {b}yep{/b}. Only where it doesn't count."

                "Now, be forward with your friend and tell him about his mother's machinations.":

                    mc "...you know what your mom asked me to do last week?"

                    kil "Pause..."

                    kil "{i}What{/i}? What did she ask you to do?"

                    mc "She asked me to convince you to go back to school and work with your father."

                    kil "That sounds like something she'd do."

                    mc "Sorry for waiting to tell you about it, I..."

                    kil "It was your birthday last week. It was a good move not to tell me then."

                    kil "I would've been in a pissy mood for your party."

                    mc "Are you in a pissy mood now?"

                    kil "I'm trying not to be... did she appeal to you doing \"what's best for me\"? Christ, I hate that line..."

                    mc "Nope. She went straight to bribing me. Offered to help expedite my medical school application."

                    kil "...{b}of course she fucking did!{/b}"

                    mc "I thought about refusing and not even saying anything to you, but..."

                    kil "No. Thanks, [mcf]. It must have been tempting."

                    mc "Not really... the club's likely to open those doors for me if I want it to - oh, and plus, you're my friend of course. I told her as much and then she countered with an open-ended offer. She seemed pretty determined."

                    kil "What? An open-ended offer? Like a blank check?"

                    mc "Yeah, to be determined after I convince you to do the impossible."

                    kil "Interesting..."

                    mc "...interesting? What's {i}interesting{/i}?"

                    kil "Nothing, really."

                    mc "It sounded like something."

                    kil "It's just... oh, how I'd love to turn that around on her."

                    mc "That wouldn't be a good idea..."

                    kil "..."

                    mc "Unpause?"

                    kil "*Sigh* Give me a second to take a piss."

                    "He was seething and doing a poor job at hiding it."

                    mc "Sure. I'll pour us some drinks..."

                    "Telling him was the correct choice, right?"

                "Don't mention it. Now's not the time.":

                    "Yeah, let's not tell him."

                    "All I would accomplish is making him mad."

                    kil "This looks like the boss room up ahead."

                    mc "Sure does. Let's back track and see if we missed anything first."

                    "......."

                    "..."

                    kil "{b}Piss break!{/b}"

        "Don't mention the deal at all.":

            "...mentioning it to him wouldn't do any good. His relationship is already fucked. He knows what kind of woman his mother is."

            "All I would accomplish is making him mad."

            kil "Eh... what are you doing? You're not moving."

            mc "Oh, sorry. Brain shut down for a moment."

            kil "That looks like the boss room..."

            "......"

            "..."

            kil "{b}Piss break!{/b}"

        mct "(Welp, I definitely killed the mood...)"

        mct "(Hanging out like this has been surprisingly fun.)"

        call message_start("Hana", "Hey!") from _call_message_start_27

        call message("Hana", "You figure out where we're going tonight?") from _call_message_85

        call reply_message ("I've got a few ideas. Figured we'd play it by ear.") from _call_reply_message_37

        call reply_message ("Friendly reminder you gave up any right to complain when you let me decide.") from _call_reply_message_38

        call message("Hana", "Fine, keep it tight-lipped! I was just asking because I was wondering what I should wear.") from _call_message_86

        call reply_message ("There's no chance of you being underdressed, so just wear whatever you're comfortable in.") from _call_reply_message_39

        call message_img("Hana", "No chance?","hana01") from _call_message_img_9

        mct "(Hot damn...)"

        mct "(Is this something that just happens to people?)"

        call reply_message ("Wear a little more than that.") from _call_reply_message_40

        call message("Hana", "Is that all you're really going to say?! You want me to dress like a nun?") from _call_message_87

        call screen phone_reply("You said a little more.","w3littlemore","Nun sounds good.","w3yesnun")

    call message_start("[mcf]", "No, you look hot! Operative word there was a little more!") from _call_message_start_30

    call message("Hana", "That's better! Should've opened with that unless you wanted me to feel stupid. :(") from _call_message_88

    call reply_message ("I don't buy the coy act coming from you.") from _call_reply_message_41

    call message("Hana", "Oh, you'll see. I can do coy.") from _call_message_89

    call reply_message ("Come over to my place around 5?") from _call_reply_message_42

    call message("Hana", "5 it is. See you then!") from _call_message_94

    call message_start("[mcf]", "A nun outfit would be pretty exotic...") from _call_message_start_31

    call message("Hana", "I should've expected that answer.)") from _call_message_95

    call reply_message ("No, seriously, if you want to cosplay...") from _call_reply_message_43

    call message("Hana", "Something comfortable it is then.") from _call_message_96

    call reply_message ("So... come over to my place around 5?") from _call_reply_message_44

    call message("Hana", "5 it is. See you then!") from _call_message_97

    play music "music/hotshot.ogg"

        mc "You have a nice angry piss?"

        kil "Oh yeah, nothing like emptying your bladder to put things into perspective."

        mc "Want to get back to it?"

        kil "I... think I'm game'd out today."

        mc "I get it."

        kil "Sorry to be a buzz kill."

        mc "I feel like that's more of my doing."

        kil "Nah, you were just being straight with me. You're a true bro."

        mc "Hana will be here around 5, so we still got a lot of time. Want to do something else?"

        kil "I'd love to, but what?"

        mc "...we got enough time to knock out The Beyond and MAYBE House By the Cemetary."

        kil "How many times indeed?"

        mc "Add one to what I thought my previous answer was."

        "......"

        "..."

        mc "Have a nice piss?"

        kil "That's a weird thing to ask someone."

        kil "...but yes."

        mc "You want to get back to it?"

        kil "Yep. We should get the most out of what you paid for the game."

        mc "It'll be here next week."

        kil "{b}Let's play some more.{/b}"

        mc "I was hoping you'd say that."

        mc "Hana won't be here until 5, so we got plenty of time."

        kil "What do you got for snacks by the way?"

        "......"

        "..."

    play music "music/hotshot.ogg"

        "If I waited any longer to tell him though, I'd become complicit in the assholery."

        mct "(No, yeah. This was the correct thing to do.)"

        "*Fllowwuuush*"

        mc "You have a nice angry piss?"

        kil "Oh yeah, nothing like emptying your bladder to put things into perspective."

        mc "Want to get back to it?"

        kil "I... think I'm game'd out today."

        mc "I get it."

        kil "Sorry to be a buzz kill."

        mc "I feel like that's more of my doing."

        kil "Nah, you were just being straight with me. You're a true bro."

        mc "Want to do something else? I've got nothing else going on tonight."

        kil "I'd love to, but what?"

        mc "...well, how does City of the Living Dead, The Beyond, and The House By the Cemetery sound, back-to-back-to-back?"

        kil "How many times indeed?"

        mc "Add one to what my I thought my previous answer was."

        "......"

        "..."

        "Just hanging like this without any of the other bullshit isn't so bad."

            mc "I shouldn't have given him such a hard time last night. I really am a fucking dick."

            mc "He might be onto something."

        "*Fllowwuuush*"

        mc "Have a nice piss?"

        kil "That's a weird thing to ask someone."

        kil "...but yes."

        mc "You want to get back to it?"

        kil "Yep. We should get the most out of what you paid for the game."

        mc "It'll be here next week."

        kil "{b}Let's play some more{/b}"

        mc "I was hoping you'd say that."

        kil "What do you have in the way of snacks, by the way?"

        mc "Let me see..."

        "......"

        "..."

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    mct "(Is this too much for what I have planned...?)"

    mc "She's going to make fun of me."

    mc "Yes, indeed..."

    play sound "sound effects/sms-bloop.wav"

    mct "(That must be...)"

    mct "(She's here and she's early.)"

    play sound "sound effects/walk-wood.mp3"

    mct "(It's been awhile since I went on a proper, quote unquote date.)"

    "It feels quaint."

    play sound "sound effects/door-openclose.wav"

    play music "music/modern-situations.ogg"

    hana "Hey, [mcf]--"

    hana "...you told me to dress casually! What's with the stuffy shirt?"

    mc "Well, Felicia set us up at one of the hottest restaurants in the city. I thought we'd--"

    mct "(As her gaze darkened I decided not to finish my tactless joke.)"

    mc "You said you liked this shirt the other day, so I decided to wear it tonight."

    hana "Really, that's..."

    mc "I wanted to look nice."

    hana "Heh, that's... cute."

    mc "And you're..."

        "Compliment her outfit.":

            mc "I like... {i}wow{/i}. You look great."

            hana "Thanks! I..."

            hana "I spent a non-zero amount of time thinking about what to wear."

            mc "I told you to be casual."

            hana "I did, but... I still wanted to look nice."

            mc "You'd look good in anything."

            hana "I wanted to look better than good."

            mct "(Better than good...)"

        "Compliment her hair.":

            mc "...your hair looks great."

            hana "Thanks! Uh..."

            hana "It's how I always have it, I think?"

            mc "It looks extra... shiny and black today."

            hana "Pff, what...?"

        "Ask her to do a spin for you.":

            mc "...wow. Would you do a quick spin for me?"

            hana "Yeah... sure."

            mc "Yeah, you..."

            mc "You look..."

            mc "You look great."

            hana "Thank you."

            mc "I just got one question..."

            hana "What?"

            mc "How the hell are those pants staying on?"

            hana "Shut up!"

    hana "What have you been up to today?"

    mc "Hung out with Ian."

    hana "Yeah? I hope you boys had a good time."

    mc "It was pretty chill, which was... nice."

    mc "What about you?"

    hana "Stayed in. Sent you a picture of my underwear."

    hana "{i}Pretty busy stuff{/i}."

    mc "Your definition of 'busy' sounds perfect."

    hana "I thought it might. Oh, my mom did grill me about you."

    mc "Sounds like a normal mom thing to do."

    hana "Yeah..."

    hana "She could barely remember the last time I was on a date."

    mc "Lemme guess... 'a pretty girl like you should have more dates'?"

    hana "Yep. Something like that."

    mc "Maybe one day I'll meet her."

    hana "She said something like that too."

    mc "Is she doing alright?"

    hana "Yeah!"

    hana "Some days are better than others, but she's had a good couple of days - sharp as she's ever been and in a good mood to boot!"

    mc "Maybe a couple of days can spin into a whole week."

    "--!"

    hana "I hope so!"

    hana "So, what's the plan for tonight? You're not going to keep me in suspense, are you?"

    mc "I got a few things planned."

    hana "Do tell."

    mc "Well, do you like ice cream?"

    hana "{i}Who the fuck doesn't like ice cream...?{/i}"

    mc "First, I thought we'd grab some cones at this place I like."

    hana "I like the sound of that. What next?"

    mc "Next, we'll go see a movie. Unplanned-like."

    mc "Just get to the theater and see what they've got playing. It's more fun that way."

    hana "Classic. Sounds like a good night."

    mc "I'm not finished."

    mc "After the movie, I thought we might go to some crappy karaoke bar and finish things off with some Chinese take out."

    hana "Ah... that sounds..."

    mc "Uninspired?"

    hana "{b}No{/b}! That sounds hella comfy."

    mc "Hella...?"

    hana "Yep! Sounds perfect!"

    hana "... y'know, I didn't have you figured a \"karaoke date\" guy."

    mc "Well, I've never done it - but embarrassing yourself is a great way to get to know someone."

    hana "I've never done it either actually."

    hana "Guess tonight will be our first time."

    mc "...is something wrong with your face?"

    hana "Shut up!"

    mc "You're right though."

    mc "Please be kind and gentle with me, boss."

    hana "That..."

    hana "You're not going to quit calling me that, are you?"

    mc "Nope!"

    mc "Want to get going?"

    hana "Hell yeah. Let's go."

    "..."

    hana "Shall we walk?"

    mc "It's a good distance from here."

    hana "Then we ride."

    hana "The night hasn't even started and Suzie Q is going to have your knees shaking."

    mc "Sounds like a pretty good threesome."

    hana "{b}You have no idea.{/b}"

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "...hey, [mcf]?"

    mc "Yeah?"

    hana "How long are we gonna keep up this dumbass flirty talk? It's making me feel corny as fuck."

    mc "Yeeeeah, let's cool it some, huh?"

    hana "Hold on tight, okay?"

    "{b}Okay{/b}."

    play sound "sound effects/motorcycle-ride.wav"

    "As I was rocketed toward the first blip of the evening, I had two thoughts on my mind."

    "One, Hana looked cool as hell. And two..."

    "A motorcycle sure does make your junk tingle."

    play sound "sound effects/elevator-bell.wav"

    play music "music/happy-whistling-ukulele.ogg"

    woman "Welcome!"

    mc "Hi there."

    hana "Cute place."

    mc "Best homemade ice cream in the city."

    hana "Have you tried all the ice cream parlors?"

    mc "..."

    mc "...nope."

    hana "Heh, let's order."

    hana "You must have a sweet tooth. That woman knew your order."

    mc "It's..."

    mc "...not a complicated order."

    mc "So, you ever grab a scoop after softball practice or something?"

    hana "You think I played team sports?"

    hana "...okay, well, I was on the track and field team for a little bit. In middle school."

    mc "Really?"

    hana "Yeah, track didn't cost anything."

    mc "Money was tight growing up?"

    hana "Could've been worse. My mom left her \"old job\" and worked bars mostly after I was born."

    hana "Occasionally, there was a guy that helped out, but she was understandably frugal for most of my life."

    "I got the impression I lived a more comfortable life than Hana did, despite our similarities."

    hana "So, yeah. Track didn't require that much gear."

    mc "You enjoy it?"

    hana "It was... alright. I liked the jumping events."

    hana "What about you? You do any sports?"

        mc "Just in high school. I was on the school soccer team."

        hana "Really? That's unexpected!"

        mc "How do ya figure?"

        hana "I... uh..."

        "......"

        "..."

        mc "I'm just fucking with you. It's the glasses, right?"

        hana "No! You just don't seem very team-sporty!"

        mc "I wasn't, but it focused me and gave me something to do."

        mc "I wasn't that good at it either, but it was fun."

        hana "No athletics scholarship either, huh?"

        mc "Oh, no. Absolutely not."

        mc "Nothing about me screams team sports either, right?"

        hana "Well, I wouldn't have been surprised if you told me you were on the swim team."

        hana "You have an attractive, \"compact\" physique."

        mc "Gee... am I blushing?"

        hana "Not at all."

        mc "Well, thanks for adding the attractive part."

    mc "Let's dig in before it starts to melt."

    "So we did."

    mc "...I can't believe {i}you've{/i} never ridden a bicycle before."

    hana "Why are you saying it like that?"

    mc "I don't know... you drive a motorcycle?!"

    hana "How are those two things connected?"

    hana "Although... there was that one time Jerrica found a unicycle at a thrift store, but... well..."

    mc "Well, what?"

    hana "{b}That didn't go so well.{/b}"

    mc "Sounds painful."

    hana "I'll show you the scar sometime."

    play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

    "*Beep*"

    mct "(Hm...?)"

    "It's Ian."

        "See what he wants.":

            mct "(...seriously?)"

            mc "Ha!"

            hana "What is it?"

            mc "Dumb cat meme."

            hana "...Ian sends you pictures of cats?"

            mc "It's usually that or hardcore pornography. Guys are kinda fuckin' weird, huh?"

            hana "...eh, not really. You should see the random shit Jerrica sends me."

            hana "Sometimes it's a limited edition bag with a cute frog on it and other times it's some idiot blowing their hand off with a firework."

            mc "Jerrica likes frogs?"

            "N... i... c... e... p... u... s..."

            hana "Yeah, why?"

            mc "Good to know if I ever have to get her a present I guess."

            hana "Her birthday is next month. I'll let you know if we're doing anything fun."

            mc "{b}Great{/b}."

        "Ignore it and keep your focus on Hana.":

            "We've talked enough today, and besides, it's probably something dumb."

            mc "Where's it at?"

            hana "You'd have to look preeeeetty hard for it."

            mc "...is it on your foot?"

            hana "Not even close."

            mc "The top of your skull?"

            hana "Ice fuckin' cold."

            mc "Hmm..."

            hana "Stop imagining what you're imagining."

            mc "I'm just replaying some things in my head."

            hana "Tssh...! You..."

            play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

            "*Beep*"

            hana "You got any war wounds?"

            mc "I got the prickly end of the neighborhood tomcat as a kid."

            mc "...and then there was the time I got the prickly end of the neighborhood tomcat for the {i}third{/i} time."

            hana "Pssh...! Dumbass!"

            play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

            "*Beep*"

            hana "You can answer it."

            mc "I don't want to. You're the only person my attention should be on right now."

            hana "Real fuckin' old fashioned, huh?"

            mc "...am I trying too hard?"

            hana "Hmm..."

            hana "...{b}nope!{/b}"

            hana "You scored a Hana point, congratulations."

            mc "Would I jeopardize that point by asking what those are redeemable for?"

            hana "You'll see."

    hana "...man, this is so fucking good."

    mc "Told you, right? Best in the city."

    "Nom, nom, nom."

    hana "Ah, e-ah..."

    hana "...ice-cream coma~"

    hana "I don't... I don't wanna move - um, let's say for 10 minutes?"

    hana "No! Twenty minutes..."

    mc "We can sit here..."

    play music "music/scissor-vision.ogg"

    "The rocker girl, with an expression like a contented housecat, hooked her boot around my leg and ran its toe cap up my calf."

    mc "...as long as you like."

    hana "Mmmh..."

    "For a moment, I didn't say anything and just enjoyed Hana's simple act of casual intimacy."

    "The sort of act that veers across the invisible divide of conventional, polite communication and reminded you that human beings are tactile creatures first and foremost."

    hana "Why are you smiling?"

    mc "That tickles."

    hana "Sorry."

    mc "No, keep doing it."

    hana "..."

    hana "It's a nice evening."

    mc "I'm glad it isn't so hot."

    hana "By the way, how's YOUR mom?"

    hana "I should've asked earlier when you asked about mine, but the conversation got sidetracked."

    mc "She's good."

        mc "We actually had some fried chicken last night. You gave me the idea."

        hana "That's nice."

        mc "It was, although it seems she's more suspicious of my new job than I originally thought. You know, the big apartment and the money."

        hana "Who wouldn't be?"

        mc "Who indeed?"

        mc "How was the fried chicken last night?"

        hana "Overdone! But what would you expect from a hole-in-the-wall that's open after midnight?"

        hana "...{b}it was also tasty as fuck.{/b}"

        mc "I bet..."

    "......"

    "..."

    "Again, the conversation fell into a comfortable lull, and we resumed the delicate dance of both making eye-contact and looking away at just the right time to avoid turning the tenuously cozy moment awkward."

    hana "Hmm..."

    mc "Ready to go?"

    hana "Not yet."

    mc "Bathroom then?"

    hana "Nope!"

    "With more force than I anticipated, she carved out room in the booth next to me."

    yh "..."

    hana "I just wanted to change seats. The kid at the counter has been eye-balling me all evening."

    mc "Yeah, well, I think he's gonna remember you for a while."

    hana "Heh..."

    mc "We can just go and see what's playing at the theater if you want."

    hana "There's no rush, is there?"

    mc "None at all."

    hana "Well, call me old fashioned then, but... I'd like to just sit here and talk for a little bit."

    hana "Tell me about your studies."

    mc "You don't want to hear about that. It's boring."

    hana "{b}Probably{/b}, but tell me anyway. I want to hear {i}you{/i} talk about it."

    mc "Alright..."

    "So we talked, with me trying to pivot the conversation back to her, and being staunchly denied."

    "I had never had someone ask me so many questions before."

    "By the end of it all, Hana had settled in quite nicely beside me and I was diving the depths of her sun-colored eyes."

    hana "Ha. That's hilarious."

    mc "What is?"

    hana "What you were saying."

    mc "I don't remember what I was saying..."

    "All I was thinking about was..."

        "Kiss her.":

            "We had done much more, so I didn't put too much forethought into the way my hand rudely grabbed the gothic bombshell's chin."

            hana "Heh, I'm starting to forget what was so funny too."

            "I kissed her."

            "And she kissed me back."

            hana "Mmmh..."

            "It was short. All too short."

            "She knew that, and that's why she stopped it there."

            hana "Nice initiative."

            mc "Shall we go? It's been twenty minutes."

            hana "Sure. I'm out of my food coma."

            hana "Let's hit the road."

        "Ask if you can kiss her.":

            mc "Can I kiss you?"

            hana "Hmmm...?"

            hana "Why don't you find out?"

            "Right. Yeah. Read the room, idiot."

            "So I kissed her."

            "I kissed her and Hana accepted."

            hana "Thank you for the kiss, Mr. [mcl]."

            mc "You're making fun of me."

            "Mental note: she must prefer a man who acts on his feelings."

            hana "No, it was cute!"

            mc "Sure. Shall we go?"

            mc "It's been twenty minutes."

            hana "Ah, shit. I made things awkward?"

            mc "My ass is just falling asleep."

            hana "Yeah, let's go. Suzie Q will wake it up."

        "Don't.":

            mc "Um... lost my train of thought. Shall we go? It's been twenty minutes."

            hana "Yeah, I've recovered from my food coma."

            hana "Let's hit the road."

    play sound "sound effects/motorcycle-ride.wav"

    mc "Two tickets to 5G Corpse Apocalypse, please."

    hana "I love zombie movies. Don't you?"

    mc "Well, I've seen my fair share. Italian filmmaking has a long, confusing, nonsensical lineage of zombie movies."

    mc "You could say I grew up on them... my mother had a particular fascination with Zombi 5 of all things."

    play music "music/too-cool.ogg"

    hana "I'm not familiar with that one."

    mc "Like a lot of Italian horror movies, it's a mishmash of ideas whose end result is hard to qualify or explain."

    mc "It's got family annihilation, divine retribution in the form of eye-gouging birds, house hauntings, and inexplicable but marketable zombie attacks."

    hana "I'll have to find it on streaming somewhere."

    mc "Don't bother. It's not too remarkable."

    hana "Okay. What's your favorite zombie movie?"

    mc "That's a tough question. It might be better to break them down into tone, the type of zombie, or their origins..."

    hana "Just pick one, dweeb."

    mc "{b}The classic.{/b} Night of the Living Dead."

    hana "That's a boring answer!"

    mc "It's a good movie!"

    hana "It is, but it's the safe one!"

    mc "You forced me to just pick one and that's what it came down to."

    mc "It's iconic! Every single scene!"

    mc "{i}They're coming to get you Barbara!{/i}"

    "That came out louder than I intended."

    mc "The chase down the hill in the runaway car, the dispatching of the farmhouse zombies, the trope-making fortifying and bickering, the newscaster..."

    mc "{i}Kill the brain and kill the ghoul.{/i}"

    mc "Not to mention the scene where a reanimated child kills her own hysterical mother with a gardening spade."

    hana "Oh, no!"

    mc "All the way to... well, to that final haunting credit roll of the bonfire."

    hana "Okay, sure it's the easy answer, but you didn't make it easy. I'll accept it."

    mc "Thanks boss. Now, what about you?"

    hana "Meee....? Oh..."

    hana "That's a tough one. It might be better to... nah, it's Return of the Living Dead."

    mc "That makes a lot of sense."

    hana "Of course it does. It's got everything you want."

    hana "Humor, heart, gratuitous zombie makeup--"

    mc "Gratuitous naked, dancing Linnea Quigley."

    hana "Damn straight."

    hana "{i}Do you ever wonder about all the different ways of dying? You know, violently?{/i}"

    hana "{i}And wonder, like, what would be the most horrible way to diiiiie?{/i}"

    hana "Heh, see, I can do it too."

    mc "{i}I try not to think about dying too much.{/i}"

    hana "Ha!"

    mc "I figured you would've picked something like {i}Versus{/i}, what with your band name and all..."

    hana "Oh, that one is good too, but if we're talking about Japanese zombie movies..."

    "So we talked about all kinds of zombie movies. Both domestic and foreign."

    "One Cut of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, REC, all the classics too of course..."

    "We covered a lot of movies in the brief time we had before the previews started."

    "It wasn't all too surprising Hana was into stuff like this. Ultimately though, it was fun."

    "Nerdy and fun."

    hana "Pfttt-!"

    play sound "sound effects/metal-crash.mp3"

    woman "S-stay back!"

    play sound "sound effects/zombie.wav"

    woman "S-stooop! NOOOOOO, they're eating meeeeee!"

    hana "Oh, hahaha...!"

    mc "This is so over the top!"

    "Nerdy, fun, and nostalgic."

    mct "(She has the same sick sense of humor as my mother.)"

    mc "Yeah, everyone's a bit too pretty and clean for 7 years into an apocalypse."

    yh "..."

        "Grab Hana's hand.":

            "...human beings are tactile creatures first and foremost."

            play sound "sound effects/woman-scream.wav"

                "I was never so good at initiating this type of gesture, but Hana's pale hand looked so grabbable."

                "Hana's pale hand looked so grabbable."

            "So grabbed her hand I did, running my fingertips over the outside and cupping its intricate form."

            play sound "sound effects/thunder-crack.mp3"

            "*Cr-aaaack!*"

            hana "Bah, ha...!"

            "Unconsciously, she balled her hand to better fit my palm."

            manmovie "We have a problem. The cell tower is still..."

            hana "Man, this is... something."

            hana "I kinda love it."

            "Prying herself free from my pin, she flipped her hand over, offering me the soft underside of her palm."

            play music "music/soft-feeling.ogg"

            "Our hands soon quickly melded together, fingers prying apart fingers, interlocking to form a tight grasp."

            "Her palm was remarkably soft and well-lotioned."

            "...and I was now acutely aware of the clamminess of my hands."

            mc "Hmm."

            hana "..."

            hana "Watch the movie."

            mct "(Right.)"

            yh "..."

            manmovie "We... we can never go back to the way it was."

        "Go back to watching the movie.":

            manmovie "Get everyone back...! The signal! My god, the signal!"

            mc "..."

            play sound "sound effects/thunder-crack.mp3"

            "*Cr-aaaack!*"

            manmovie "We have a problem. The cell tower is still..."

                    hana "..."

                    play music "music/soft-feeling.ogg"

                    "Seems she took matters into her own hand."

                    "Hana's delicate fingers pried apart mine before snuggly clasping my hand with her own."

                    "Her palm was remarkably soft and well-lotioned."

                    mc "...!"

                    yh "..."

                    manmovie "We... we can never go back to the way it was."

                hana "..."

                manmovie "We... we can never go back to the way it was."

        play music "music/soft-feeling.ogg"

    hana "Hey, [mcf]?"

    "A whisper, carried on a hot puff of breath, tickled my ear."

    mc "...?"

    "Hana gave me a look."

    "The kind of look one might give their date in a dark movie theater."

    "I couldn't be sure, but I think I was giving her a look too."

    "A faint nod that precipitated a game of chicken. Which one of us was going to be the one to..."

    "I wasn't sure who initiated it, but we embraced with a kiss."

    "A small, tentative kiss... one to slowly open the way to more passionate avenues."

    "......."

    "......"

    yh "..."

        "Go back in for another one.":

            "This time, I made a show of initiative, lunging back in and stealing the rocker girl's lips."

            hana "Mmmmh...."

            "A murmur. I wonder how loud."

            "I wonder if anyone's looking at us right now."

            "Not that I cared anymore, given what my current occupation requires."

            "I wasn't sure which of us took it deeper, but our embrace intensified."

            "Lip, tooth, and tongue connected in an exploratory flourish."

            mc "Mmmh..."

            "This time, I murmured."

            yh "..."

        "Take a more out there approach.":

            "This time, I made a show of initiative, moving back in."

            "Hana closed her eyes and offered me her lips, but..."

            "My lips had another target. Her pale, flawless... {i}nose{/i}."

            "*Cwhup...!*"

            hana "Nnh, ahh...!"

            "Another kiss."

            "Another kiss. Another kiss."

            "Another kiss. Another kiss. Another kiss."

            "Another kiss. Another kiss. Another kiss. Another kiss."

            "Another kiss. Another kiss. Another kiss. Another kiss. Another kiss."

            "I littered Hana's face with small, deliberate pecks - targeting her piercings - until her face was taut with anticipation."

            "And a smidge of confusion."

            yh "..."

            hana "Heh, that felt weird..."

    "This time, it was Hana."

    "She kissed me hard."

    "Deep."

    "Deeper than before, like she was trying to suck out my soul."

    "A small snapshot of her sexual frustration and loneliness."

        "Live in the moment, cop a feel.":

            "After a microsecond of internal deliberation, I did what came naturally."

            hana "H, hnna..."

            "My hand cupped the shape of Hana's jutting chest, lightly squeezing her breasts through her clothes with the intention not to seem so overly eager."

            hana "Hmmm..."

            "... but with enough strength to let her know what her kiss was making me feel."

            mct "(Hot damn...)"

            "Through the meager fabric of her \"top\", I could feel Hana's nipple rapidly stiffen."

            "At first, I casually brushed the end of my thumb against it."

            hana "Nngh..."

            "In time, the back of my nail pushed, dug into, and rubbed her teat."

            hana "Hnnfh..."

            "An effort that was rewarded by the sweet sound of Hana holding back pleasurable sighs."

            "Not that she wasn't having a similar effect on me."

            mc "...!!!"

            "The way her tongue played about my mouth was sending shivers down my spine."

            yh "..."

            hana "That was sudden..."

            hana "There's still some movie left."

            yh "..."

            "To be continued."

        "Slow down, stud. Let Hana hold the reins.":

            "No need to be so over-eager, there'll hopefully be a more thorough time for that later. Right now..."

            "Right now, I was content letting Hana voraciously have her way with my mouth."

            "Her tongue traced a pleasurable trajectory inside my mouth, mingling - kissing - and escaping my own."

            mc "H, hha...!"

            "The sheer force of it sent shivers down my spine."

            "......"

            "..."

            mc "A, ah...!"

            "Suddenly, Hana grazed my lips with her teeth, lightly clamped down, and tickled an erogenous zone I didn't even know I had."

            "A shock was sent through my body and I tensed up."

            "In a good way."

            mc "Aaahh..."

            "I did my best to remain quiet."

            "I did my best to be quiet as her hand cupped my engorged junk and gave it a tantalizing rub."

            mc "Mmmh..."

            mct "(Fuck me...)"

            hana "..."

            "She looked at me, full of herself."

            hana "Oops, got a little carried away there..."

            "......"

            "..."

            "Just like that, she went back to watching the movie."

            mct "(I owe her for this later.)"

    "Neither of our attention was fully on the movie after that point. We spent the rest of the run time stealing the occasional glance and exchanging coy smiles."

    "I felt myself anticipating what might come later in the night and I felt eager for the movie to end."

    "I was glad I wasn't yet immune to these kinds of innocuous thrills. I really wondered, given enough time at the club, if physical contact with beautiful girls would ever become mundane."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "......"

    "..."

    "Our attentions were placed squarely on the movie for the rest of its duration."

    "Sure, we looked at each other ever-so-often or exchange a few glib observations, but we didn't do what a dark movie theater encourages between a man or a woman."

    "I wonder if I missed my mark."

    mct "(Well, the night is young.)"

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/crinoline-dreams.ogg"

    mc "Well, that resembled a movie."

    hana "Didn't it? I liked the part where the zombie mating ball rolled down the mountain."

        mc "My favorite part was the copious amount of dummies that got thrown off the building in the middle."

        mc "Movies don't do that anymore."

        hana "Because they look bad."

        mc "You can't beat a ragdolling dummy as it falls through the air."

        mc "That's peak cinema right there!"

        hana "I can think of a few things that can beat it."

        mc "Like what?"

        man "S-sorry, excuse me....!"

        mc "My favorite part was the copious amount of dummies that got thrown off the building in the middle."

        mc "Movies don't do that anymore."

        hana "Because they look bad."

        mc "You can't beat a clearly ragdolling dummy as it falls through the air."

        mc "That's peak cinema right there."

        hana "I can think of a few things that can beat it."

        mc "Like what?"

        man "S-sorry, excuse me....!"

    hana "Hey, what's your....!"

    woman "Hana....?"

    woman "Hana Rhodes?"

    hana "Ah..."

    "......."

    "..."

    woman "Don't tell me you forgot who I am?"

    hana "How could I forget you, Cynthia?"

    "Running into people you know is rarely fun, but I could tell by Hana's body language that she did not like this woman."

    cyn "I THOUGHT that was you! You always did stand out from the crowd."

    hana "I.. would never expect to run into you at a movie like this."

    cyn "It was my boyfriend's turn to pick - ah... that was him who rudely bumped into you just now. Sorry for that."

    hana "He must've really had to go..."

    cyn "Yep! It happens every time! He gets the extra large soda and then refuses to get up during the movie, afraid to miss anything."

    "......"

    "..."

    cyn "So... you look... good, Hana."

    hana "Thanks, Cynthia. You do too."

    cyn "I think it's awesome how you still dress like {i}that{/i}."

    "......"

    "..."

    "An unwavering stare from whoever this is and a clearly annoyed Hana."

    hana "Not everyone is as talented at reinventing themselves as you."

    "Meanwhile, I've just been standing off to the side, unnoticed."

        "Interject and break the tension.":

            mc "Hello."

            cyn "Hi!"

            "The overly tanned woman gave me a good, long up-and-down appraisal."

            "The look on her face while she did so was, for some reason I couldn't place, mildly yet irrationally irritating."

            cyn "Well, aren't you the {i}odd pair{/i}...!"

            cyn "Who's this, Hana? Your boooooyfriend?"

            hana "Boyfriend, well... uh, it's a bit..."

                "Keep it simple with the truth.":

                    mc "We're on a date, at the very least."

                    mc "Time will tell about the other stuff."

                    "Being brief and straight to the point was best when dealing with politely-veiled condescension."

                    hana "{b}That's right{/b}. We're on a date."

                    mc "It's nice to meet you, Cynthia. I'm [mcf]."

                    mc "How do you two know each other?"

                    "I made it a point to direct the question to Hana."

                    hana "We went to high school together."

                    "There was a distinct lack of the word friend, reinforcing the impression I was nurturing."

                    cyn "We ran in {b}different circles{/b}."

                "What difference does it make? Just say you're her boyfriend.":

                    mc "That's right, I'm her boyfriend."

                    "No need for an over-complicated explanation."

                    cyn "Well, that's one thing that changed about you. You've got a new... {i}type{/b}."

                    mct "({b}Bitch.{/b})"

                    mc "Aha... I'm [mcf]. It's nice to meet you, Cynthia."

                    mc "How do you two know each other?"

                    cyn "We're former classmates! We ran in different circles, though."

                "Redirect the question.":

                    mc "I'm [mcf]. How do you two know each other?"

                    cyn "Oh, that? Well..."

                    hana "We went to school together."

                    mc "Ah, you're former classmates."

                    cyn "That's right! We ran in different circles though."

        "Don't say anything.":

            "I opted not to say anything. Going unnoticed was perfectly fine with me."

            "......"

            "..."

            "The two chattered a bit, and eventually, it was just simply past the point where it would be natural for me to introduce myself. Until..."

            cyn "By the way, who's that guy that's just standing behind you?"

            hana "{b}He's my date{/b}."

            cyn "Silent type, huh? I'm Cynthia."

            mc "[mcf]. Nice to meet you."

            hana "She's a former classmate of mine."

            mc "You went to high school together?"

            cyn "{b}We ran in different circles.{/}"

    hana "...did we?"

    "......"

    "..."

    cyn "So, Hana, what have you been up to since high school?"

    cyn "Oh... I don't remember seeing you walking at the... you did graduate ri--"

    hana "{b}I graduated{/b} - and, well... I..."

    hana "I help my father with his business."

    cyn "What does he do?"

    hana "He's a pimp."

    cyn "Ha, ha... what...?"

    hana "I'm {b}kidding{/b}!"

    hana "He does sell a good time though. He's a travel agent."

    cyn "No kidding? My boyfriend and I are thinking about taking a trip next Christmas. Do you think he could hook us up?"

    hana "Well, I wouldn't suggest you use him."

    cyn "Why not?"

    hana "He charges way too damn much."

    cyn "Oh..."

    hana "Well... we should be..."

    cyn "I just graduated myself!"

    hana "Is that right? What did you study...?"

    cyn "Music therapy!"

    hana "What the hell is that?"

    cyn "It's what it sounds like. It's using music for therapeutic goals to help people with Alzheimer's, PTSD, depression, chronic pain -- stuff like that."

    hana "Wow, that's..."

    hana "That sounds kinda cool."

    cyn "Well, that's the one thing we had in a common, right?"

    hana "...you kept with it?"

    cyn "Guess so."

    hana "That's.... huh."

    "......"

    "..."

    cyn "Can't change everything about yourself."

    hana "Congratulations."

    cyn "Thanks... say..."

    cyn "You want to get a drink together some time?"

    hana "I don't know, I'm not really looking to dig up old skeletons..."

    cyn "I get it, but let me give you my number in case you change your mind."

    hana "Sure..."

    hana "You don't want mine?"

    cyn "Nope! You call me. Spares you from drinking with me out of politeness."

    hana "When have you ever known me to be polite?"

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "I'm glad she seems to be doing well."

    mc "Really? Seems like you didn't really like that woman."

    hana "Was I that obvious?"

    mc "Painfully."

    hana "I don't actively {i}dislike her{/i}, but I also don't want to get a drink with her."

    mc "Why?"

    hana "Just some stupid kid shit in the past that doesn't matter anymore, plus I have no business making friends."

    mc "How come?"

    hana "...\"My dad's a travel agent.\" I can't be truthful with anyone, [mcf]."

    mct "(Yeah, I guess we've talked about this before...)"

    mc "My fault for asking, but..."

    mc "You're not supposed to be thinking about the club at all tonight, remember?"

    hana "If I remember to not think about it, wouldn't I be thinking about it?"

    mc "No time for sophistry. Let's go sing."

    hana "Okay."

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/motorcycle-ride.wav"

    hana "Uh... was this really the smallest room they had?"

    mc "That's what the guy at the front counter said."

    hana "No matter."

    hana "Plenty of room to sprawl out and get comfortable."

    mc "What are you doing....?"

    hana "{b}Getting comfortable{/b}."

    hana "My belt was digging into me the whole movie."

    mc "Actually, I wanted to mention that..."

    hana "What?"

    mc "Your {i}fanny pack{/i} was digging into you the entire movie, you mean."

    hana "Fuck you, it's not a fanny pack! It's a... belt-satchel!"

    mc "The difference is....?"

    hana "It's well... ah, shit. It's a fanny pack?"

    hana "You really want to ruin my cool belt-thing for me?"

    mc "Sorry! You DO make it work, didn't mean to imply otherwise."

    play music "music/too-cool.ogg"

    "Although, I was presently appreciating her waistline."

    mc "You can make anything work. {b}Even a fanny pack{/b}."

    hana "Satchel!"

    mc "That too."

    hana "Okay, let's just fucking sing. {b}You go first{/b}."

    mc "Fair play, but you don't want to order any drinks first?"

    hana "In a bit. When we need something to lubricate our voices."

    mc "Alright..."

    mc "Now, let's see..."

        "Do your best to embarrass yourself":

            "Got it."

            mc "Hast du etwash Zeit fooour michhhhk?"

            "I decided what better way to break the ice than embarrassing myself by horribly mispronouncing the lyrics of a German song."

            mc "Dann zinga ich bleu lich four dich"

            hana "Huh... wha-"

            mc "Von noingzingnoing luftballons..."

            "I mean {i}really{/i} put my heart into it."

            mc "Alph earrem weg zum Horizon..."

            "I mean really, {b}really{/b} into it."

            mc "Noingzingnoing luftballons...!"

            "I dragged out what I believed to be the syllables."

            "Hielten siiiiiiick four Captain Kirk~!"

            "I tripped over each and every line."

            mc "Helten sik four slaw lut --Winteren...!"

            "I couldn't even carry a tune to save my life."

            "Leibenzeigensnorgenborgen...!"

            "In short, I butchered the song with an impressive zeal."

            "Dink an dick und lass ihn flygeen...!"

            "*Clap, clap, clap, clap!*"

            hana "Bravo."

            mc "Thank you."

            hana "I don't think zeigen clobbin snorgen morgen is German though."

            mc "Some of the words went by really fast!"

            hana "Pfft, uhuh...! Well..."

        "Pick something you're comfortable with.":

            "Got it."

            mc "Just a small town giiiiiirl....!"

            hana "Oh no."

            mct "(Uh huh. I'll be that guy.)"

            mc "Living in a lonely woooooorld....!"

            mct "(I'll be the guy who picks {i}this{/i} song.)"

            mc "She took the midnight train going anywhere!"

            mct "(Just try not to sing along Hana!)"

            hana "Well, A for the energy."

            hana "You did it just as well as any bar full of middle-aged men."

            mc "Thank you."

    mc "Your turn."

    hana "Let's order some drinks first."

    mc "What happened to waiting until we needed some lubrication?"

    hana "Listening to you sing really took it out of me."

    mc "Let's get some drinks."

    hana "I only am what you told me to be ~ I'm a backwards-ass hillbilly, I'm Dick Buttkiss!"

    "Our imbibements came in the middle of Hana's song."

    hana "I'm a triple-rectified-ass son-of-a-bitch ~ Rec-tite on my ass and it makes me itch!"

    "As expected, she was putting on a real performance."

    hana "I can see for miles and miles and miles, oh~"

    "Just like me, she couldn't sing worth a shit either, but that didn't matter."

    hana "My broken heart makes me smile~"

    mct "(This is what you call stage presence I guess.)"

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Wait, so you've actually filled in on vocals before?"

    hana "Once. When Jerrica had strep."

    hana "I forgot some of the lyrics, but I'm pretty sure nobody noticed."

    mc "You said you'd never..."

    hana "--done karaoke - and I haven't, until now."

    mc "Hmm."

    hana "Actually..."

    hana "I'm terrified of being on stage."

    mc "Really?"

    "I wouldn't have guessed."

    mc "You do it pretty often for someone who's {i}terrified{/i}."

    hana "All that energy has got to go somewhere I guess."

    hana "It's fortunate I get to be so {i}expressive{/i} when I play."

    "I briefly wondered if there was any parallels between that line of thought and the exhibition stage."

    "..."

    "But then my mind turned back to the pretty girl next to me."

        "Put a hand on Hana's thigh.":

            "As inconspicuously as I could manage, which was likely not at all, I gently placed my hand on Hana's thigh."

            hana "[mcf]..."

            "A simple gesture, to pay back Hana's game of footsies and once again bridge the physical divide."

            hana "*Gulp, gulp, gulp...!*"

            hana "Aaaaaahh...!"

            "We sat in silence for a little while, the time for the room counting down, exchanging looks and nursing our over-priced drinks."

            "The big, empty room felt contradictorily cozy."

            "Without being cognizant of the act, my hand gradually began to move."

            "It wasn't overtly perverted or sexual, just a gentle sway that ran my palm over her ridiculously tight pants."

            hana "{size=10}Hmm...{/i}."

            mc "Sorry, did you say something?"

            hana "Just a yawn."

            mc "How'd you sleep last night?"

            hana "Pretty damn good, actually..."

            "We returned to sharing a silence, but this time I was {i}very{/i} aware of what my hand was doing."

            "......"

            "..."

            mc "It was my turn to sing, right?"

            hana "Yep."

            mc "I should sing then."

            hana "Well, you did pay good money for this room."

        "Move onto the next song.":

            mc "It was my turn to sing, right?"

            hana "It was."

            mc "Guess I'll get to it then."

    mct "(Now, let's see...)"

    mct "(This thing has like a million songs...)"

    mc "It's a coffee-stained earth every time it happens ~ lighten up honey it ain't bad..."

    "So, Hana and I made good use of our time."

    hana "You start a conversation, you can't even finish it ~ You're talking a lot, but you're not saying anything."

    "We traded off, singing a few songs each and shooting the shit."

    mc "I know that some will say ~It matters but little babe ~Oh but come on and mean it to me..."

    hana "I'm tired of words and I'm too hoarse to shout ~but you've been cold to me so long..."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/modern-situations.ogg"

    hana "Not even close. I got a lot of bands left to see live before I kick it."

    "So it went."

    mc "You're going to think this is weird, but I don't really like live music."

    hana "Pssh, you're such a fuckin' nerd. How many shows have you been to?"

    mc "...like two?"

    hana "Just two? How the hell can you say you don't like live music then. Who was playing?"

    mc "Not counting yours, there was a couple that Ian dragged me to..."

        hana "Well, that settles it. Next date we'll go to a show of a band you'll actually remember."

        mc "Next date, huh?"

        hana "It's going pretty good... right?"

        yh "..."

        mc "Next time it'll be your turn to pick anyway."

        hana "..."

        hana "You know... with how things are going... you're the only person I feel like I can be myself around."

        hana "...the thought scares me, but it also makes me feel kinda happy."

        mc "..."

        hana "Guess I must be gettin' a lil' tipsy..."

        mc "No, I get it."

        hana "...you do?"

        mc "I mean, there's Ian, but I've known him for so long that there's certain things I could never admit to him."

        mc "You and I don't have any history. There's nothing complicated here or any status quo to maintain."

        mc "There's very little pretense. It's... \"hella\" comfy."

        hana "Yeah... I suppose it is."

        mc "Anyway, I have your back, boss."

        hana "...promise?"

        mc "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

        hana "I've got yours, too."

        mc "You can be as truthful with me as you like."

        hana "You want the truth?"

        mc "Of course..."

        hana "The truth is I've been so fuckin' horny {b}all damn day{/b}."

        yh "..."

        mc "Oh..."

        hana "It's been so long since I've been laid that all I can think about is you tearing me a new one."

        mc "I see... well..."

        "Her frankness and the determined look on her face instantly gave me a half-chub."

        mc "Thank you for being honest with me."

        hana "Is that what you say to that?"

        mc "What should I say?"

        hana "I don't know..."

        mc "Me either. All I could think about the last ten or so seconds is..."

        "Well, tearing her a new one, but..."

        hana "Well, that settles it. Next time we hang out we'll go to a show of a band you'll actually remember."

        mc "Heh. Sure. It'll be your turn to pick."

    mc "The time on the room is counting down."

    hana "Wha--? Are you...?"

    mc "We can squeeze another song in. You want to go or should I?"

    hana "......"

    hana "...you're trying to play it cool, huh?"

    "I was, but I'm certain the big dumb smile on my face gave me away."

    mc "I guess I'll go then."

    mc "I saw a fun song I wanted try."

    hana "Oh, yeah...?"

    hana "*Scoffs* You've got my attention."

    hana "What's the song?"

    mc "Are you familiar with Pretenders."

    hana "I can't say I am...."

    mc "Well..."

    mc "I got brass..."

    mc "{b}In my pocket.{/b} `I got bottle, {b}I'm gonna use it.{/b}"

    "The correct response would've been to just kiss her or whatever, but it wasn't every day a neurotic asshole like me felt desired."

    mc "Gonna make you, make you, make you notice and..."

    "So, I wanted to milk it a bit. Be playful with it."

    "Make Hana sit there with a dumb horny look on her face while I sung an equally dumb and horny song."

    mc "Gonna use my arms"

    mc "Gonna use my legs"

    mc "Gonna use my style"

    mc "Gonna use my sidestep"

    mc "Gonna use my fingers"

    mc "Gonna use my, my, my, imaginatiooooooon."

    hana "What are you, a Chippendales dancer?"

    hana "Jeez..."

    mc "I'm special ~ so special~"

    hana "*Glug, glug, glug...*"

    hana "..."

    hana "{size=10}Making me come over there...{/size=10}."

    mc "I got rhythm, I can't miss a beat."

    "With a lecherous grin on her face, Hana pulled up right behind me."

    hana "Hold still?"

    mc "What are you...?"

    play music "music/thunder.ogg"

    hana "{b}Keep singing{/b}."

    mc "...?"

    hana "If you're going to tease me, I'm going to tease you."

    hana "If you manage to get through the rest of the song without stumbling over your words, I'll do something nice for you."

    mc "Like what?"

    hana "I'll suck your dick until it turns white."

    mc "...and if I mess up?"

    "With a forceful motion, Hana's hand slipped down past my waistband, into my slacks, and cupped all my finer bits."

    hana "I'll still suck your dick."

    mc "--! Those are some pretty disparate stakes...!"

    "She was bold and in charge, just like the image my head had fabricated the day we initially met."

    mc "I have a better idea."

    hana "What's that?"

    mc "We'll just skip ahead to the fun part."

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "Okay."

    "Our bodies were pressed together in a flash, Hana's softer parts colliding with my {i}less{/i} soft parts."

    "Chest-to-chest, and my tongue shoved down the goth girl's throat, my hands naturally found rest on Hana's pert and malleable ass."

    "And malleable, plush, and pliant it certainly was."

    "Through her skin tight jeans, I had no trouble spreading each cheek, pushing and tugging and molding as if it was bare."

    "My bulge fit snugly into the alluring curve of her mons pubis, the two of us in stiff competition to see who could press their junk into each other more."

    "I wasn't sure who was winning, but the radiating heat and growing dampness was unmistakable."

    "*Chwup, fwhup, chwup~*"

    "Too preoccupied with sucking face, neither of us made a faint coo nor a breathy moan - we just sucked down what air we could through our noses."

    "Beads of our saliva intermingled at the corner of our liplock, occasionally spilling over into a messy dribble that rolled down our chins."

    "In this way, both our ends were getting wet."

    "*Fwup, chwup, chwup...*"

    "This lackadaisical approach to kissing quickly turned into a game of chicken."

    "Either because there wasn't enough air to go around or I was simply forgetting to breathe half the time, I could feel the heady effects of our embrace start to take hold."

    "First: my mind felt dull, smooth, {i}soggy{/i}."

    "I had no clue how the hell a brain could feel soggy, but I wasn't in a place right now to ruminate on the finer points of descriptive language."

    "Second: my chest felt {i}slow{/i}, rising and falling sporadically."

    "{b}Yeah, I was forgetting to breathe, wasn't I?"

    "Lastly: the vivacious sexual desire rising in me was growing increasingly unsatisfied."

    "{i}I wanted more{/i}."

    play sound "sound effects/slap2.wav"

    "*Smack!*"

    hana "Oomfph!"

    hana "Ha, haa... uhhh... [mcf]?"

    mc "Y-yeah...?"

    hana "{b}Slap it again.{/b}"

    play sound "sound effects/slap2.wav"

    hana "Oooh!"

    hana "I-- {i}shit!{/i}"

    "Before I knew it, Hana had pounced, wrapping her legs around me and pulling me into another kiss."

    "*Cwup, fwup... fwup....!*"

    "She had me ensnared, fire burning out of control."

    "Instead of fighting against that smoldering impulse, I let her weight guide me to the ground."

    "Once I was caught, with nowhere to go, and pinned between the face of the karaoke bar's gaudy mauve seating and my horny goth date, Hana took the reins."

    "She kissed me yet again, but the real magic was the way she moved her hips, gyrating lasciviously and without restraint."

    "*Chwup, fwhup...!*"

    "Her body rocked maddeningly along, my bulge caught between us, in an escalating need to escape the chafing confines of my underwear."

    mc "Ah, mmh..!"

    "I was the first to let my pleasure be known, a low grunt escaping as best as it can between clashing tongue and glancing teeth."

    "A crawling, prickling need inched up from my groin to my brain and I felt a desperate desire to be inside her."

    "I imagined how amazing it would feel to have her unrelentingly ride me into the dirt like this, me thrusting up and spearing her insides in a mad bid for mutual gratification."

    "I pictured how delightful it would be to hold the squirming sexpot in place, my dick kissing the deepest parts of her, and have her ask for more."

    mc "Mmmh...!"

    "My grip on Hana involuntarily tightened in reflex, as if my body was instinctually afraid to let its source of pleasure go."

    "*Cwhup, fwhup, chup...*"

    "One hand dug hard into her shoulder blades, the other the delicate flesh of her buttocks..."

    hana "Mh~"

    "*{b}Cwhup, chwup, chup...!{/b}*"

    "Perhaps too hard and tight I thought, but if it was, she was too busy to say anything. Hana just sped on, growing increasingly more intense in her affection."

    mct "(...she did seem to like a bit of roughness, right?)"

    mct "(The look in her eyes when I smacked her ass was quite different than what I had seen from the Carnations.)"

    "I doubted she was a genuine masochist. Instead, I more suspected that she liked a man to be raw, explicit, and forceful in his desire."

    "And how I felt was... I had gotten my fill of being backed into a corner. Now, I wanted to turn the tables on her and put her on the back foot for a bit."

    "It was an awkward position, but I marshaled my strength and gradually raised Hana off the ground."

    "If she noticed, it didn't impede what she was doing. Her grip on me remained steely tight."

    "I should be careful not to accidentally slam her down..."

    mc "Oooop!"

    "Held down with arms pinned above her head, we both seized the opportunity to finally fill our lungs with much needed air."

    hana "Ha, haa..."

    "The horny, dazed look on her face was enough justification for the reprieve. Just looking down on her from an advantageous position alone was fueling my desire."

    hana "Mhhh... m-more..."

    hana "Do something. Kiss me or touch me, j-just... {b}more{/b}."

    "{b}Now{/b} she had me feeling bad for just slack-jawed staring."

    mc "Sure thing, boss."

    "The question was, just {i}how{/i} I wanted to touch her."

    "Her chest was so open and deliciously begging to be exposed, but..."

    mct "{b}Got it.{/b}"

    "The way her legs were wantonly splayed made the decision for me."

    "Fixing my eyes on Hana's face, eager to gauge her changing expression as she got what she wanted, I wordlessly began to rub."

    hana "Ah...! G-good...!"

    "While her face told me an over-the-clothes touch wasn't going quite as far as what the pent up drummer was hoping for, that suited me just fine."

    "She still shuddered from the pleasure all the same, the fire being kindled for later, when our soon-to-be-gone room time allotment ran out and we were forced to rush back to my place in a horny flurry."

    "The damp heat from her sex had her jeans glued to her body, and a light touch was all it took to discern the outline of her vulva."

    "So I took it slow, at an even tempo, enjoying this opportunity to become more familiar with Hana's intimate parts."

    hana "Hngg..."

    "My fingers easily traced the outline of Hana's sex and drew the shape of her protruding, engorged pussy lips with ease."

    "I explored the length of her slit, feeling out the opening that led to more pleasurable pastures."

    mc "You're soaked..."

    "She nodded resolutely, a devilish smile on her lips."

    hana "{b}I a-am.{/b.}"

    "She didn't have a hint of embarrassment on her face, just a raw need that matter-of-factly required attending."

    hana "I, a-ah...!"

    "My fingers moved faster and worked harder in response."

    hana "I've b-been like this half the night."

    mc "You hid it pretty well."

    hana "N, nahh... y-you think so?"

    hana "W-why do you think I'm dressed like this?"

    hana "I decided last night I wanted to do this, {i}I needed to do this{/i}."

    mc "You're no longer worried about--?"

    hana "Don't stop! {b}Keep rubbing{/b}!"

    mc "Sorry."

    "I picked back up at my previous pace, rubbing Hana cross-eyed."

    mc "You're no longer worried about my character?"

    hana "*Gulp* {b}No.{/b} How could I be?"

    hana "I... ah... now, we've both chosen the same thing."

    hana "I need to move forward and..."

    hana "A-ah, s-shit...!"

    mc "...{b}And?{/b}"

    hana "Most importantly, at this moment, I need to {b}get fucked stupid{/b}, [mcf]."

    hana "Y-you think you can do that?"

    mc "That.."

    "I nodded stupidly."

    mc "Uh huh."

    hana "{b}Good{/b}. Let's get the fuck out of here!"

    hana "Your place."

    mc "{b}My place{/b}."

    mc "Should I call an uber?"

    hana "You really think a couple of watered down frou frou drinks is enough to get me blitzed?"

    hana "You're fine too, right?"

    play sound "sound effects/motorcycle-ride.wav"

    "As I was rocketed toward the fuck of my lifetime, I had two thoughts on my mind."

    "One, Hana looked beautiful under the city's nightlight. And two..."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "A motorcycle {b}sure as shit{/b} makes your junk tingle."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/your-big-rock-concert.ogg"

    play sound "sound effects/door-open.wav"

    "It started before we even got up the stoop of my building and achieved full swing by the time we stumbled onto the elevator."

    "Hana had climbed me like a tree, legs locked around my waist as if for dear life, threatening to topple me every lopsided step of the way."

    "{i}It was something I had only seen in the movies,{/i} but the way she gripped, tugged, clawed, kissed, hissed, pecked, groped, gouged, gyrated, and squeezed without even touching the ground made me feel like I was being devoured."

    "How I got the door open, I had no earthly idea, but somehow we managed to make it up to the privacy of my loft without suffering any bruises or nasty carpet burn."

    mct "(...did I shut the door behind m--)"

    mc "A-ah--!"

    hana "Why the hell are you looking in that direction?"

    "Hana corralled my meandering attention right back where it should rightfully be."

    hana "I'm right here, [mcf]."

    mc "Oh, {i}I see you,{/i} Hana... don't you worry about that..."

    hana "Well, {b}I feel you{/b}. All..."

    hana "What would you say you are? Like 8 inches?"

    mc "I've never measured."

    hana "{b}Bullshit{/b} you haven't. What fuckin' guy hasn't?"

    mc "You can always measure it for me.."

    mc "Up~close li--"

    hana "Don't ruin the moment!"

    hana "Naked. {b}Now{/b}."

    "The gothic spitfire wasted no time, hooking her slender fingers into the lip of my shirt and unfastening the buttons with a surprising degree of dexterity and precision."

    mc "I'll do it-"

    hana "Juuuuust focus on not dropping me, handsome."

    mc "Oh...?"

    mct "(...she thinks I'm handsome?)"

    mc "Hhhng...!"

    "Getting out of a dress shirt with an entire person hanging off you, who all the while littered your neck and chest with kisses, was a veritable challenge."

    "*Chwup, fwhup, chwup...!*"

    "...but off it came indeed, purely owed to Hana's determination."

    mc "A-aahh..."

    "The way she gnawed at my neck was steadily putting us in a \"precarious\" position, however."

    mct "(D-damn it, that feels good...!)"

    "Every butt-clenching shiver that traveled down my back branched off to my limbs and made Hana feel that much heavier."

    "I thought about letting inertia do its magic and just take us to the floor, where we could just fuck like animals, but..."

    mct "(No way in hell! That concrete will blow out my knees.)"

    mct "(Then what? Where...?)"

    mct "(There.)"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.05, 3, channel = "music")

    "I picked the closest flat surface available: the dining room table."

    play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

    "*Kah, {b}thunk{/b}!*"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "music")

    hana "A-hh, haa...! Get back over here~"

    mc "Pants off. {b}Now{/b}."

    mc "{b}Leave the thong on!"

    hana "W-woah..."

    hana "There it is..."

    hana "Ah...."

    hana "{b}Put it in me{/b}."

    "......"

    "..."

    "For a second I just stood there, our sexes bared, drinking in the fuck hungry expression on Hana's face."

    "That was where a plan formed. By the end of the night..."

        "You'll both forget your anxieties.":

            "I wanted both of us, for as long as the sun was down, to kick all reason, care, and worry to the curb."

            "I wanted to squeeze, suck, and screw until we became one unified mating ball vacant of thought."

            "In essence, I wanted to return the trust Hana was putting in me right now."

        "You'll have this bitch calling you daddy.":

            "Seeing Hana, my friend and the boss's daughter, spread her messy cunt for me made me feel like a god and stupidly filled my head with urges of violent vulgarity."

            "With only a surge of lust, my budding affection for the beautiful girl in front of me was dwarfed by a wave of unrelated desire to control and dominate that was utterly divorced from reality."

            mct "(...or maybe BECAUSE of my affection, I especially want to...)"

            "I had no time to ruminate on that."

    hana "{size=20}I'm waiting...{/size20}"

    "The head of my cock dangerously kissed Hana's opening, so close and so wet, that the slightest movement threatened me entering her like a slip n' slide."

        mc "Are you ready?"

        mc "You want it?"

    "She was drooling. {b}Oozing{/b}."

    hana "...is that fuckin' rhetorical?"

    "A trickle of feminine lubricant was already slowly snaking its way down my shaft and I had barely even grazed her."

    hana "Hnnggg..."

    "Oh, the mess we were about to make..."

    "The goth girl wrapped her legs around me, her grip tightening as I pried her open like a clam."

    "Slowly."

    hana "H-haaat...!"

    "{b}Sloooowly.{/b}"

    hana "A-aheeeeee, {b}s-shiiiit...!{/b}"

    "Half way in."

        mc "That wasn't rhetorical. Seriously, you ready?"

        "As wet as she was, even half way in was a tight fit."

        mc "That wasn't rhetorical. I'd like you to tell me you want it."

    hana "A-aahh...!"

    "Impatiently, Hana used her legs to draw me in deeper."

    hana "Ha-haaat..!"

    "As deep as I could go, all the way to the base."

    hana "That answer your question?"

    "With as tight of a hold as she had on me, pulling out was difficult, but managing that..."

    mc "O, ah..!"

    "I met her expectations with a thrust, driving my hips back in and paying off a week's worth of sexual tension."

    hana "Yes!"

    "The start of our rut felt less like copulation and more like a game of tug-of-war."

    "I could no more than withdraw half of my length before Hana zealously pulled me back in, hilting me inside of her."

    hana "Ah~ [mcf]...!"

    "She had complete control over the tempo and she was {b}making me work for it.{/b}"

    mc "Hana..!"

    "I called out her name in turn."

    mc "Ghe...! You are..."

    "We hadn't even developed a proper rhythm yet and already the pleasure had me battling for my words - she was very wet, but still..."

    "{b}Tight{/b}."

    "Hana's insides squeezed and clung to my shaft, making pushing back in just as much of a challenge as it was withdrawing from her leglock."

    mc "Aht~ y-you think you could untighten your legs some?"

    hana "Hhuug, I don't wanna~"

    mc "No?"

    hana "{b}I like you being this close{/b}."

    hana "Not that I have a TON of experience, but... ah..."

    hana "{b}You're the biggest I've ever taken.{/b}."

    mc "Biggest person, plant, or mineral?"

    hana "{b}Ever{/b}. I'm more of a...hnnng, 'discrete' toy kind of a girl."

    mc "Heh, n-noted...!"

    hana "Guys, uh... ah, like to hear that right? {b}You{/b} like that?"

    mc "A--aah, they do-"

    "Face-to-face as we were, I could absorb and internalize every line of expression on her face."

    mc "--whether it's true or not."

    "Her face read of {b}fornication{/b}, the beginning signs of pleasure taking root on her visage, but there was also some... discomfort?"

    "Even if she was raring to go, by her own admission it had been awhile for her, so expecting her to accommodate my entire length at the pace we BOTH wanted was optimistic."

    mct "(And since she likely wouldn't explicitly communicate her feelings right now..)"

    hana "Haaa...!"

    "It was left to me and my intuition on how to most comfortably get Hana to the point we wanted to reach - that was, banging the shit out of each other unshackled from inhibition. To that end..."

    play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

    "*Sm, plap!*"

    hana "Gh, uuuh...! Y-yeah! That's...!"

    "{i}That was the ticket{/i}."

    "Hana's dopey-eyed expression and the way her cunt tightened around me confirmed my karaoke room hypothesis - {b}she craved it rough{/b}."

    play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

    hana "H-hhat!"

    "That was how I'd distance her head from her lower half and get her to relax."

    hana "Fhh-fuck yeah!"

        mc "You like that shit, huh?"

        play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

        hana "G-gh... y-yeah.. I love knowing you're there!"

        mc "{b}Dirty bitch{/b}."

        mc "That okay?"

        hana "Ngggh, yeaah... lets me know you're there. {b}I love it.{/b}"

        play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

        hana "Ha-haaa!"

        mc "Me too."

    "Finally, her hold on me lessened and I had access to the range of motion I was yearning for. "

    hana "Ah, ha... [mcf]...!"

    "...but I didn't use my full strength, not yet at least; instead I tried to match the rhythm of Hana's own hips."

    mc "{b}Hana{/b}."

    "Our tug-of-war had shifted to a mutually assured fucking."

    hana "[mcf]...!"

    "Our movements slowly became synchronized, Hana using her arms to push off my cock and let gravity meet me halfway."

    "Every time she'd lift off, I'd thrust up and deep, sheathing three quarters of myself inside of the bouncing goth."

    "Every time we'd meet in the middle, my balls would careen against her slit, splattering and matting my thighs with errant drops of femcum."

    "Every time."

    "Up."

    "Down."

    "Up and down."

    "That simple, repetitive motion and the slowly spreading stupid grin on Hana's face was all I was presently concerned with."

    mc "Hh-ahh~"

    "All I {i}tried{/b} to be concerned with at least, so as to distract me from the way Hana's cunt pleasurably sucked and massaged my prick."

    mc "S-shit, your tits are..."

    "Well, there was {i}one{/i} other thing."

    hana "U-huhh... {b}I know{/b}..."

    "Up."

    "Down."

    "Up and down."

    "The simple, repetitive, {b}hypnotic{/b} motion of Hana's pale tits bouncing gloriously right in front of my face was another thing I was concerned with."

    mc "They're... nggg... fuckin' fantastic."

    hana "I said {i}I know.{/i}"

    "I made a mental note. I would suck and savage those beauties later, but not now."

    hana "Your chest..."

    "I wouldn't disrupt the cadence that we had finally achieved."

    mc "What...? I got nice tits too?"

    hana "No! It looks... well..."

    "Hana's eyes darted down and across my own chest, giving me a small taste of oglement in turn."

    hana "It's kinda broad... {b}isn't it{/b}?"

    "{i}Not in the least I thought{/i}, but I still felt good about Hana's fuck-induced compliment."

    "...good enough that I found my hips' movement unconsciously increase in tempo in response."

    hana "Hnngg...!"

    "...and faster still, egged on by my partner's cock-engrossed countenance."

    hana "It's like a steel pipe! Ha-ha...!"

    "Hana's hips moved to match my own, lifting off the table at a frenetic pace."

    hana "F-fuckin...!"

    mc "You want it faster? Harder?"

    hana "H, hhaaa... g-grip me tighter... m-mash into me more...!"

    mc "You got it!"

    "I was happy to oblige, sinking my fingernails into the soft flesh of her back."

    hana "Nng, haauut...!"

    hana "S-squeeze me...! Ah... don't let g-go~o...!"

    "It was a back-and-forth fucking, in every sense of the term. Hana gave as good as she got, and she was getting it good."

    mc "Hhhu...!"

    "The sound of our grunting and the table's rumbling joined together and died against my apartment's high walls."

    mc "Ah... ha... you're the one squeezing and not letting go-!"

    hana "I l-love it, I love this feeling..."

    hana "T-too long, way too damn long...  ah, shit I'm glad you showed up at the club."

    mc "Heh... ah... y-you can thank Ian for that you know."

    hana "Ha! Fuck no I'm not!"

    hana "...what, \"hey, thanks for getting your friend hired so he can rail me!\"...?"

    mc "Nggg...! No, trust me, he'd love to hear that...!"

    hana "Heh, just shut up and... haha... haa, just shut up and focus on what you're doing please."

    hana "The only dickhead I want to think about right now is the one in me."

    mc "PFfft...! Haa...! Ha, sure!"

    play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

    "*Fwhap!"

    hana "Hnnngg...! Gah, I..."

    "She clamped down. {b}Hard{/b}."

    hana "Aaaah... I w-wasn't expecting that...!"

    "A dopey, glass-eyed expression was my reward."

    hana "I..."

    hana "I-I... I think I, ah... came a little? there? Heh..."

    hana "Gah... ha...! [mcf]..."

    hana "[mcf]... I want it... I wanna... b-behind..."

    hana "{b}Fuck me{/b} from behind...!"

    mc "Ah...!"

        mc "You got it!"

        mc "You got it, you fuckin' bitch!"

    "I could tell by the plaintive tone in her voice that that was the ticket to make Hana fully cream herself on my cock."

    "So in as swift a motion as I could manage, through jelly legs and Hana's dead weight, I managed to flip the moaning goth girl on her stomach."

    mc "Ah.. I..."

    "What."

    "What. A."

    "What. A. Fucking sight."

    "The shifting weight from Hana's thighs to Hana's generously fat ass immediately impelled my hips forward."

    hana "Aht... Yes..."

    mc "G-uhh...!"

    "Hana slammed back into me with all she could muster, her ass striking my waist with a thunderous plap."

    hana "Getting fucked from behind is the best-!"

    mc "Nnggg..."

    "*Plap, thwap, kwhap...!*"

    hana "Ha, h-hnhhh...!"

    "*Plap, thwap, kwhap... fwhip, fwhap, plap...!*"

    "She was battering my hips, wantonly begging for what I knew she wanted."

    mc "Hnng...!"

    hana "Ghh, o-oh...!"

        "And of course, I was very happy to give her what she wanted."

        mc "Fat ass slut!"

    hana "Heh, hee..."

    "That one left my own hand with a satisfying sting, in accompaniment with the vice-like spasms that gripped my cock."

    mc "Hnng....!"

    "It felt amazing. {i}Real fuckin' amazing{/i}."

    hana "Plaaap!* Haaaa....!"

    "If I wasn't already a sadist, the way her cunt robbed the strength from my calves with every impact would be a convincing argument. "

    mc "Gahh....! Ha...!"

    "Enough of that for now, though. Much more and I was liable to blow my load deep in the dick-drunk goth's twat prematurely."

    hana "Ah...! Annng...!"

    "Instead, I was intent on squeezing every ounce of enjoyment I could out of Hana's callipygous behind."

    hana "Hnnng...!"

    "In this position, the head of my cock readily scraped against the upper walls of her vagina, gouging and digging and jabbing to pleasurable ends."

    hana "Gah... [mcf]... ha.... you're fuckin' deep..."

    "Hana shuddered, but never yielded in impaling herself on my cock, letting her grunts pour out freely."

    "*Plaaap, thwapp... fwhapp....!*"

    hana "A-all the righgh... ah... k-keep doin' what you're d-doin'... ah..."

    hana "You're hitting the right spot...!"

    "She barked out commands or pleas, I wasn't so sure which."

    hana "Ah, haa...! K-keep...!"

    "I didn't really care which, because right now, I had her face down on my kitchen table howling like a bitch, turning her inside out without a care in the world."

        "For just now, for just a while, we had each other. We were carving out a unique moment in time of our own."

        "Oddly enough, that overly saccharine sentiment spurred me. I wanted to leave an impression on Hana."

        "For a slice of time, right now, she was mine. She belonged to me."

        "It was an absurd thought of course, but it's what filled my head. I wanted to fuck her into a nutrient-rich goth paste and {b}own{/b} her."

    mc "Ngg... anything you want, boss!"

    "*Fwhap....!*"

    "Okay, I couldn't help myself."

    hana "Hhaa...!"

    "The way my prick felt when my hand struck the goth girl's pale ass was intoxicating."

    hana "Aah, that's...!"

    hana "Hhhnngg....!"

    "My eyes followed the sound, down the alluring curve of her back and drank in the sight of her quaking ass."

    "*Fawhp, thawp... fwahp...!*"

    "I put my back into it, attacking where she bid, hips consumed by the goal of overwhelming the upper folds of her fuck hole."

    hana "Ah, ngnggg.... ah...."

    "Every second the full length of my cock would vanish, every single inch buried in Hana's pleasure-giving hole."

    mc "Ha, haa...!"

    "Every second her quim sent pangs of pleasure straight to my brain, stealing the breath from my chest and replacing it with a frantic desire to flood it in my jizz."

    hana "K-keep, s-scratching... nngg... my thighs are..."

    "Hana's words spewed from her lips half-formed, fucked out of her haphazardly and registering with my ears as gibberish."

    mc "Nngg...!"

    "{i}Still{/i}, I got the gist of it."

    mc "Ah... y-you're making it h-hard to think, y'know?"

    hana "Haa, ng... w-why you trying to fuckin' think at a time like this! Just uhh... eyes on the road, huh?"

    mc "The way you're sucking me in makes that kinda difficult to do, ye-...a-ah...!"

    hana "It's like drumming... ng... you just gotta stop thinking and.... {b}fuck the shit out of it{/b}."

    mc "Ha, ah...!"

    "I laughed. That didn't make any sense, but it also made {b}A LOT{/b} of sense right now."

    mc "Nngg, haa... hey, could you do something for me?"

    hana "Hnnggg, b-besides what we're {b}currently~{/b} doing...?"

    mc "{b}Talk dirty{/b}."

    hana "I, uh... ah... Sure, but uh... uh...!"

    hana "Ahh... uh, what should I say? F-feel kinda on the spot-! Ngh...! H-hard to think when your giant dick is gouging out my pretty pink insides, {b}remember?{/b}"

    mc "No... I... uh... I think you got it!"

    hana "Ah... Should I, ah... T-talk about how big your dick is then? Or tell you other shit you already know?"

        mc "I just... want to hear how much you want {i}me{/i}, y-yknow...?"

        mc "I... ah... want your voice to be inside my head when I {b}blow my load in your pussy.{/b}"

        hana "Huh... Oh..."

        hana "{size=10}I see what you're getting at...{/size=10}"

        hana "Ahh, agnngg... {b}well{/b}, isn't it fuckin' obvious, [mcf]...?"

        hana "That picture I sent you earlier, do you know how much I've been thinking about this?"

        hana "Don't you feel how wet I am {i}for you{/i}? {b}Ah, haa....{/b}!"

        hana "I finger fucked myself before I took it... ah...!"

        mc "Y-yeah...?"

        hana "I thought about you, about our date, about t-this {b}very{/b} moment...!"

        hana "S-so, puh, please... {b}[mcf]{/b}... ahhhh..."

        hana "I'm a horny fuckin' bitch [mcf], so please... {b}fuck me like one.{/b}"

        "--!"

        "Pangs of sick-like needy pleasure racked my body, driving my hips forward at a devilish speed."

        mc "Nggg, Hana...!"

        mc "That'd be a start. I wanna hear how much you want {b}it.{/b}"

        hana "You already know, don't you?  Ngg... ah, you're standing in a pool of my own juices!"

        mc "I know, but... how about. You... try...{b}calling me daddy?{/b}"

        hana "Ha! Ng...! N-not a fuckin' chance!"

            hana "Didn't I t-tell you last night how much I cringe at that garbage...?"

            hana "I hate that crap!"

        hana "You ah, haa... you aren't my 'daddy'... a-and thank god for that! Yuck!"

        mc "Yeah...? We'll, ngh... we'll put a pin in the idea. Come back to it later!"

        hana "Nghh... ungoddamnlikely!"

        "--!"

        hana "Hyyaaaat...!"

        "With my dumb mission in mind, I let the sickening need to nut take over and drove my hips forward at a devilish speed."

        mc "I said we'll put a pin in it for later!"

    hana "Ngg.. ah...!"

    "One mouth howled, while the other clamped down lovingly on my shaft, squeezing me hard on the road to fulfill its biological imperative."

    hana "Eug. Ggaaah! F-fuck y-yyeahh...!"

    "Hana's cunt spasmed, pried open and stuffed with cockmeat as it was, coughing out trickle after spurt of femcum where it could."

    hana "Gh...! Gahh..! S-so fast..."

    "At this pace, I wouldn't be lasting long."

    mc "Nggg... does this.. {b}scratch your itch?!{/b}"

        "I was gambling that before the throes of orgasm turned my legs into mush and drained me of my desire to move, that I would be able to give Hana the gratification she was looking for out of our encounter."

        "I was gambling that before the throes of orgasm sapped me of my strength and drained me of my desire to move, that I would be able to turn Hana's brain into mush. "

    hana "Yes! It's, ah-haa... {b}perfect{/b}!"

    hana "My h-head is white fuckin' noise...! Gah..."

    "The rhythm we had shared gave way to a sloppy, animal-like rut."

    hana "Aaa, ahh.. {b}savage{/b} me, [mcf]... {b}fucking savage me!{/b}"

    "Hana used the table to push into me, {b}hard{/b}."

    hana "B-beat it up...! Ah..."

    "I pushed forward, hard."

    mc "G-geh...!"

    "*Twhap, thwahp, fwhap...!*"

    "Every time we met in the middle was like a little car crash, violently repelling each other on impact in unpredictable ways."

    mc "He-huhh...!"

    "*Thwap, fhwp, khwap, thwap, thwiiiip...!*"

        mc "H-hana...!"

        "Thwap, thwap...!*"

        "As my own orgasm built, my mental state was no better than my babbling goth lover."

        mc "Ah... you cock-devouring slut! F-fuckin...!"

        "Thwap, thwap...!*"

        "As my own orgasm built, my mental state was no more cogent than the babbling goth bitch bouncing on my cock."

    mc "Ah, f-fuck...!"

    "I was diving cock first down the gaping maw of unintelligible, pleasure-drenched oblivion."

    hana "Y-yyeeh... eeeah... [mcf]!"

    "My head felt hot and my inner thighs began to burn."

    hana "[mcf]...!"

    "*Thwap, thwap, twahp...!*"

    "The periphery all but disappeared. There was just Hana's perfect, bouncing ass sliding on and off my cock."

    "*Thwap, thwap, fwhip, twahp...!*"

    hana "{b}[mcf]!{/b}"

    "There was just my name, carried by Hana's sultry, enraptured voice, egging me on to finish."

    hana "Ah, haaa, [mcf]...! I'm..."

    mc "M-me t-too... where should I...?"

    hana "I, eehh... f-finish... uhh..."

    hana "Geeeh...! Eehh...!"

    "Hana's quim made a last ditch attempt to wring me for everything I was worth."

    hana "Y-yeaaaaah.... Haa.... Heeee...."

    hana "O-ohhhhh♥♥♥♥♥"

    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

    mc "Gah!"

    "With Hana not giving me a clear answer, I somehow mustered the cognizance to pull myself out of Hana's vice like grip and rain down a splattering of semen on Hana's flawless back."

    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

    mc "Hngg...! Ah... ha..."

    "String upon string of it touched down, and began the slow decline toward the dimple of her arched back."

    mc "Oh, haa... heh..."

    "{b}Blankness.{/b}"

    hana "Hnng, haa.... ah... "

    "For some seconds, nary a thought entered my head. It was entirely blank."

    hana "Ah... haa...."

        mc "I... ah... hope that was good for you."

        hana "You fuckin' bet it was... aha..."

        mc "I... need to... one sec..."

    "Hana knew how to take it out of a man."

    mc "I... didn't know if it was safe... so... I... yeah..."

    "My work spoke for itself."

    hana "Heee, haa... it probably was..."

    mc "Heh, {i}probably{/i}?"

    hana "It's been like three weeks? Ah... numbers are kinda hard right now..."

    mc "Y-yeah... ah..."

    "We both took a minute to catch our breath in silence, dreamily playing hot potato with our glances, eyes freely darting over each other's naked form."

    hana "Hey, [mcf]...?"

    mc "What is it?"

    hana "Hmm..."

    "My friend suddenly slunk down to her knees and looked up at me, batting her big yellow eyes. She was thinking something {i}good.{/i}"

    play music "music/wanderlust.ogg"

    "--!"

    mc "A-ah...!"

    hana "{b}I want more.{/b}"

    mc "Sure, just give me a second to--"

    mc "...recharge!"

    "On second thought, Hana is making a convincing counterpoint for not waiting."

    hana "I did promise this in the karaoke room."

    mc "That you did..."

    hana "Just... don't expect anything amazing... I'm not {b}Felicia{/b} or any of the club girls."

        "Play it cool and reassure her.":

            mc "That's what makes it all the more worthwhile."

            mc "{b}Hana{/b} is about to suck my dick."

            hana "Pssh! Yeah?"

            mc "It's just you and me right now, Hana."

            hana "..."

            mc "I'm not thinking about anyone else, so why are you? Just do whatever you feel like doing."

            "......"

            "..."

            hana "Well, lucky for you... I feel like..."

        "Play it off and tease her.":

            mc "Hold on, let me get a photo of the look on your face - shit, you look cute when you're all bashful."

            hana "Shut up!"

            mc "No, really. This might be the only and last time! I gotta savor it!"

            hana "Yeah, I get it!"

            "......"

            "..."

            mc "Ah... c'mon, why are you thinking about work and other people right now? It's just you and me."

            hana "Ah, you're right... it's just... {i}you{/i}... {b}of all people{/b}."

            mc "Heh, {b}exactly{/b}... now get my dick back in your mouth and hop to it, huh?"

            hana "Heh..."

            hana "Okay."

    "Reveling in post-orgasmic bliss, the sensation of a warm up blowjob was a welcome one."

    "A very, very, very, very, {b}VERY{/b} welcome one."

    hana "*Chwup, fhwup...!*"

    "Hana didn't pussy foot around it. She didn't work my shaft with her hand, or give it a kiss, or massage my balls..."

    hana "*Chwp, fwhup, chwup...!*"

    "She simply formed a marvelous seal around the crown of my cock and {b}sucked{/b}."

    hana "*Chwup, chwup, kwhup, fwhup, fwhup...!*"

    "The sound was kind of goofy, but the pleasurable feeling was no joke."

    mc "Ah...!"

    "She focused her attention entirely on my glans, never straying too far down my shaft, teasing my cock and battering my piss slit with her tongue."

    hana "*Chup, fwhup...!*"

    mc "Y-you must've been kidding. Nothing amazing?"

    "Sure it wasn't a practiced technique, but with my penis overwrought from just pushing out piping hot semen not two minutes ago, the simple act was more than enough to be mind melting."

    hana "You like?"

    mc "Yeah. It's good. {b}Real good{/b}."

    hana "I'm glad. {b}Real glad{/b}."

    "Hana proved to be diligent in her ministrations, not letting my dick escape her grasp for more than a few words."

    mct "(Man...)"

    hana "*Fwhup, chwup...!*"

    mc "Hnng...!"

    "Sex-starved women are a whole different breed of cocksucker."

    mc "S-shit Hana...!"

    "She may have proclaimed herself an amateur, but she had the veneer of a pro. Not once did she break eye contact with me."

    "Hana, dick in her mouth, was giving me a wildly dirty fuck-hungry look. It filled me with a powerful feeling."

    hana "*Fwhup, chwup...!*"

    "I was on the top of the goddamn world."

    mct "(Women sure do have the power to give and take that away from a man, huh...?)"

    mc "A-aah.. oh-"

    hana "I wanna go deeper."

    hana "*Fwhup, chwup...!*"

    mc "Gah, feel free to do whatever you want...!"

    hana "I'll make a fool of myself trying. I got a real bitch of a gag reflex."

    hana "*Fwhup, chwup, kwhup...!*"

    mc "H-haa... okay?"

    hana "Yeah... I wanna go deeper, but my throat's gonna put up a real nasty fight about it."

    hana "Lend me a hand?"

    "{b}*Chwup!*{/b}"

        mc "You sure?"

        mc "I can do that."

    hana "Can you do me one more favor?"

    mc "What?"

    hana "{b}Don't be afraid to let me feel it.{/b}"

    mc "Ah..!"

    mc "Open up!"

    "So enflamed by Hana's declaration, I did as she asked, sheathing my cock in her maw."

    "Hana did her part, getting her tongue out of the way and allowing me easy passage to the back of her throat."

    hana "Mmm, gaawwh...!"

        "Once I managed to fit two thirds of my pride into her mouth, I tortuously held it there, giving my goth lover a moment to acclimatize to my length."

        "Once I managed to fit two thirds of my pride into her mouth, I held it there, enjoying the way her tongue squirmed around my prick as she learned to breathe with a foreign invader lodged in her throat hole."

    mc "You good? Breathing through your nose?"

    hana "Mhhuhh...!"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 3, channel = "music")

    "The noise she made sort of sounded like a yes."

    mc "Alright, I'm going to begin."

        mc "Let me know if I need to stop."

        mc "...and don't worry, {b}you're goona feel it{/b}."

    play ambient "sound effects/fel2.wav"

    hana "*Gluh, ghwup, gluuhg...!*"

    "So it started, with me in complete control of Hana's head."

    mc "Hh, haa...!"

    "I pried her off my cock, only to push her face back down in an instant, barely needing to move my own hips to achieve the desired sensation."

    hana "*Gu-guhh..!*"

    "And true to her word, Hana began to sputter."

    hana "*Cough* Hhawahk...!"

    "Nothing overly violent or alarming, just sudden and endearingly erotic."

    mc "Heh, is this what you wanted? Am I doing it right?"

    "If she wanted to go deep, I was happy to be her guide on that journey."

    hana "Hawhk, cawahhk, *cough..* Uhmmhhuh...!"

    mc "Ngg-- great! I live to serve..."

    mct "(Again, that sounded like a yes...)"

    hana "*Gwhhuak, hawkh, fwhaah...!*"

    "Yep -- endearingly erotic, boundlessly beautiful, dream-like sounds."

    hana "*Hwah, Fwwahh....!*"

    "Sounds that signified how much trust she was placing in me."

    mc "Ah, f-fuck..."

    "I had just cum, but that overwhelming need to breed and ravage was beginning to bubble once more."

    hana "*Hwak, fhwak...!*"

    mc "You're handling it better than you let on."

    hana "*Gwahk, hwuakk...*"

    "Way better. Her throat tried to reject me, but the rest of her body didn't."

    "The grip she had on my legs was completely relaxed, and in part, she was even helping by moving her own head when I pushed and pulled."

    mc "Haa, mmmhh... y-yeah... {b}A lot better!{/b}"

    "Even this, like the round before, was a sloppy dance of give and take."

    mc "O, ho... I'm..."

    "Another minute or so like this and I would likely cum."

    hana "*Gwawh... gwhaaak...*"

    "I didn't want that. It was too early to be busting again - I still had to return the favor - and doing that under the fatigue of two back-to-back orgasms was..."

    mc "{b}Stop.{/b}"

    hana "Ahh... huh? What?"

    hana "I was just getting into that..."

    "I still had to return the favor and I didn't want to do it on my hard dining room floor."

    mct "(Hmm...)"

    mc "Come on."

    hana "E-eeh...?"

    "Riding high off the feeling of control from having a cute girl deepthroat my junk, I had the overwhelming desire to be in the driver's seat."

    mc "I said, come on."

    "Still in a cock fog, Hana complacently allowed herself to be pulled along."

    mc "I'm going to show you something good."

    "I didn't know if it was all the practice I had the past few weeks or just sex-hormone fueled false bravado, but I was feeling immensely confident in my sexual prowess."

        mc "Something real good."

        "She {b}would{/b} be calling me daddy and I had concocted a three point plan to convince her."

        mct "(...yeah, {i}likely the false bravado.{/i})"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 3, channel = "music")

    mc "I've been wanting to do this since you were on your back in the karaoke room."

    hana "Do what?"

    mc "*Twhup, ohwwhupp...!*"

    hana "O-ohh.... {i}t-that{/i}."

    "I started with Hana's right breast, fastening my lips over her rosy areola and commanding my lungs to draw in air. "

    mc "*Fwhup, chhhwwip.....!*"

    "The result was a sharply obscene sucking sound, punctuated by confused Hana noises."

    hana "You just -- ah, ohh... o-okay, sure..."

    "Her body jerked along with the ebb and flow of my oral treatment."

    hana "Y-you can suck too if you want..."

    "It took a firm hand to steady her body, but my sucking continued unabated."

    mc "*Fwhup, chwup, khwwup...!*"

    hana "A-are you trying to suck it off my tit or something, yee-!"

    "Quickly, despite her protest, she was angling herself in a way that gave me unfettered access to her chest."

    hana "C-christ..I 'm feeling it in my lower back!"

    mc "*Thwup, hwwupp....!*"

    hana "...a-and my stomach... w-warm...!"

    "Persistence."

    hana "Hnng..."

    "Repetition."

    hana "Ha, h-haa...."

    "Those two things were my goal."

    mc "*Thwup, fhwup...!*"

    "It was a simple attack, but it was unceasing."

    mc "*Thwup, fwhup, chwup...!*"

    "One steep incline of pleasure."

    hana "N-now....!"

    "My hope was that instead of growing acclimatized to my touch, time would instead be my ally to magnify the sensation she was feeling."

    hana "Even the soles of my feet are..."

    "I'd suck her raw and I wouldn't stop until she was overwrought and about to burst, full of energy that had no outlet - and then I'd suck some more."

    "*Chwup, fwhup... twhipp...!*"

    hana "H-heh.... uggg..."

    "Hana, so caught up in what I was doing, was easily moved where I wanted her... I don't even think she registered the change in vertical orientation."

    "Now she was properly on display, reclined on the back of the sofa and served up like dinner."

    hana "W-woaoah, wait... when did I...?"

    "Now I was attacking two at once, Hana's sizable orbs pressed together in a way that had me jealous that I couldn't appreciate the sight from a distance.."

    hana "I'm getting dizzy..."

    "No time for that though, as keeping both her engorged nipples delicately grasped between my teeth took an inordinate amount of concentration."

    mc "*Chwup, fwhip, cwhhip....*"

    "Her pale pink buds wanted to slip from my grip and the way she unconsciously writhed wasn't helping matters."

    mc "*Kwuph, chwup....!*"

    "But I persisted in my repetition, sucking hard and giving no caution to the way I was savaging her nips."

    hana "You're... ah... yep... you're pretty g-good at this, huh?"

    mc "*Fwhhu, chwu~....!*"

    "I acted like a hungry animal."

    hana "Hnng...."

    "I pulled, I pinched, I gnawed with the utmost confidence that Hana would respond favorably to the rough treatment."

    hana "My whole body is-- hnng, ♥♥♥."

    "In my mind, as silly of a thought as it was, hesitation was the line between me convincingly manhandling Hana like she was hoping for or looking like an overexcited rube pretending to be in control."

    hana "[mcf]... A- ah, h-hell..."

    "As far as I could tell, it was working. She was feeling what I desired her to feel."

    mc "*Fwhhuup, chwup, kwhhuup...!*"

    hana "G-gahh...."

    "I too, of course, was swelling with sexual desire."

    mc "*Fwhhup.....!*"

    "Desire born of the satisfaction of successfully giving pleasure."

    hana "Hnngg... [mcf]...!"

    "Desire rooted in the gratification from feeling in control."

    mc "*Chwupp, hawuwup... chwup...!*"

    hana "Just... E-eehh..."

    "I {b}wanted{/b} to fold her in half and fuck her into the couch, but I refrained."

    hana "Just f-fu..."

    hana "Why don't you... say... uh.. I d-don't know..."

    hana "Stiiiick it in me, t-then we can both feel good..."

    yh "......"

    "I {b}wanted{/b} to, but patience could be its own reward."

    mc "...ready for round 2, then?"

    hana "All this up to now was {i}just{/i} round 1...?"

    hana "O-oh!"

    "First, let's get these panties out of the way and then..."

    "Of course she was ready for round 2, but I wanted a quick taste."

    hana "Hnng... I s-suppose I walked into that one..."

    "My tongue invaded Hana's slick love canal, whose soft walls immediately sized me up by clinging to the foreign intruder."

    hana "I didn't specify what 'it' was, eh...? Ah...."

    "Her juices flowed freely, rolling from my lips all the way down my chin."

    hana "What I meant was shove your dick in me, but... ugggh... this..."

    "It poured into my mouth and trickled down to the back of my throat."

    hana "This is pretty nice too..."

    "Some even found its way to my brow, tongue working hard to freely flick globs of it abound."

    mc "*Shlick, fwhup, shluuurp...*!"

    hana "Just as nice as the first time you--"

    "As wet as she was, my tongue had little trouble pushing back her inner folds and touching parts of Hana I wanted it to touch."

    "Slurping, stirring..."

    hana "Awww... you got my tits covered in spit y-you know...! Wait, that's not what's important here--"

    hana "Hnnggaah...."

    "...grazing and flicking her pleasure buzzer."

    mc "*Slick, fwhhick... shliiiick...!*"

    hana "Just like t-that...!"

    mc "{b}*Sclick...!*{/b}"

    hana "Hnnng... N-niiiice...."

    "Hana, in her own way, wasn't afraid to let me 'feel it' either, her pale thighs gradually locked around my shoulders and neck."

    "Her abject acceptance of me drove my tongue deeper into her cunt, which in turn, pulled me harder into her grasp."

    mc "{b}*Shlick, shlick, shhllliiiihpp....!*{/b}"

    hana "Ghh... eeh..."

    "She accepted my oral attention just as enthusiastically as I had, with the exception that she didn't seem to want to pace herself."

    hana "Huuunngg...!"

    "{b}Good{/b}."

    mc "Mmmh--!"

    "She had me firmly held in place. With no other choice..."

    mc "{b}Shlicp, shlick...!*{/b}"

    "Looks like I had to {b}tongue fuck{/b} my way out of this predicament."

    mc "{b}*Shlick...!*{/b}"

    "My tongue barreled through her soft parts, reaching for the deepest regions that the spindly appendage could reach, and moving like it had a hope to reach deeper still.."

    hana "Gahh... Hheeh..."

    "Wedged between her burning thighs like I was, face pressed firmly into her balmy sweet spot, my senses felt sluggish."

    "I could barely think, but the more I licked, the weaker Hana's legs became."

    hana "[mcf]...!"

    "The more I licked, the more the lock of my neck waned."

    mc "Mmmh...!"

    "The more I licked, the more my senses came back to me."

    mc "{b}*Shlick, shlwwip, shliiiick...!*{/b}"

    "As a result, my licks became more refined."

    hana "[mcf]...! Nhhh... t-that's... t-there...! Eat my fucking...!"

    "As a result, Hana's reactions became more forceful, her cries more shrill and sharp."

    hana "Hnnng... Aa---aah...."

        mct "(Yes! Let me hear those noises.)"

        mct "(That's right, let me hear those slutty moans!)"

    "They were a reward unto themselves."

    "Hana's body jerked and tensed up, but her thighs couldn't take hold as they did earlier."

    hana "H-haa... A--aaah...."

    "It was sudden, and it happened with a shrill cry."

    hana "Aaoaooooohhh...."

    "It was only supposed to be a taste, but in no time at all..."

    hana "I'm....!!!!"

    hana "Aaaahhhhh.....eat my fucking cunt...♥♥♥"

    "In no time at all, I was drowning in squirt."

    mc "*Gulp, gulp, gulp...!*"

    "I drank down what I could, but..."

    "My face was soaked."

    mc "You... made a mess..."

    hana "Heh, heh... yeeeeeah... {i}you helped{/i}."

    hana "Credit where credit is due... h-haaa...."

    yh "..."

    "I wasn't finished. While she was still catching her breath..."

    hana "Hhhaaah... what are you.... what are you thinking?"

    mc "I'm thinking... {i}get off your pretty ass{/i}."

    hana "Hehe, sure... just let me get feeling back in my legs fir--"

    mc "Sorry! No time for waiting with round 2 not being over!"

    hana "Ehh, o-okay...! Eh-?"

    mc "Now, swing your leg over--"

    "..."

    mc "There..."

    "With a bit of maneuvering, I managed to get up under Hana and perch her naked body on top of mine."

    hana "A-ah... you wanna do it like this?"

    mc "*Chwup!*"

    hana "Hnng...!"

    mc "What's the matter, feeling lazy?"

    hana "N-not at all..."

    mc "{b}*Chwupp...!*{/b}"

    hana "Ah, that's... n-nice..."

    mc "It's your turn to show me what you can do."

    hana "Then put it in me, you geek."

    mc "You put it in yourself."

    mc "*Cwhup...!"

    hana "Nnngg... Alright..."

    "Hana lazily lifted her hips and positioned herself perilously over my tool."

    hana "I'll do the work, but only if..."

    mc "What?"

    "--!"

    hana "Ghh...! F-fuck...!"

    "Hana suddenly dropped, sending a surge of pleasure to my core."

    hana "I'll do the work, but only if you keep kissing me like that."

    mc "You first. Give me a taste."

    hana "Umm, fiiiiiine..."

    "Without further delay, Hana started slow and gentle, rocking her hips like a bassinet."

    mc "A-ahh..."

    "I was buried so fucking deep inside Hana's twat, and so ready to go, that the peaceable motion felt one part massage and another part torture."

    hana "S-something like this, lover boy?"

    "Hana had flipped the script. Where I had been teasing her, now she was bullying me."

    mc "Hnng, haa...!"

    "That was fine. I would enjoy the ride, until the opportunity to wrest the lead presented itself."

    mc "I was thinking something a little more... {b}faster{/b}."

    hana "That right?"

    "I felt her press down on me, sheathing my cock impossibly deeper and moving juuuust a fraction slower as if making her point."

    mc "Hnngg...!"

    hana "You want me to fuck you harder?"

    mc "Y-yep... that'd be lovely right about now... ahhh..."

    hana "Then show me some affection like you did a second ago..."

    "I made a mental note. Hana was the kind of gal who got off on having her ass slapped and her neck kissed in equal measure."

    mct "(That could be useful for later.)"

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "Hnngngg...!"

    "I waited a dozen or so seconds, letting Hana think like I wasn't going to give into her cute request, and to let her contemplate the painfully slow pace she was inflicting on herself as much as me."

    hana "Hnngaa... c'mon... pleeeeease? I'm dying here too."

    mc "{b}*Fwhup...!*{/b}"

    "My assent came in the form of a kiss on Hana's elegantly pale neck."

    hana "Y-yes!!!"

    "Then reiterated on with a hot puff of air aimed at Hana's delicate ear."

    "My hand found its way to her chest, tenderly squeezing one of her full breasts in contrast to the earlier brutish handling."

    mc "*Chwup, hwup, fwhup!*"

    hana "Hnng, hhaa..."

    "I layered kiss after kiss on her ear, and true to her word, whether it was unconsciously or not, Hana picked up the pace."

    mc "Nng~atta g-girl..!"

    "Hana's hips followed the rhythm of my kisses, one after another, my 'affection' was rewarded with ball-jostling down thrusts."

    hana "Heh, he... Your thing is so fucking hard..."

    "For the moment, I was content to sit back like a king, and let Hana carry me to toe-curling bliss via her fat ass."

    hana "It's like you're turning my soft spots into m-mush...."

        "Sweet talk her.":

            mc "I think that's..."

            hana "*Chwup!* H-hahh.."

            mc "..I think that's all you right now, {i}lover girl{/i}."

            "If she wanted a little affection, why not aid it with whatever sensual tone my nerdy ass could muster?"

            mc "You're the one taking me for a ride."

            hana "*Fwhup!* A-aaah... "

            mc "You're the one turning your own insides to mush..."

            hana "*Thwup!* A-ah... hell yeah I am..."

            "In a flourish of enthusiasm, she slowed down, stopping at the base of my cock and swirling her hips."

            mc "Hngg.. aah, that's a nice trick..."

            "Not missing a step, Hana resumed her previous pleasant pace."

        "Tease her.":

            mc "I'm not doing anything."

            "I thought a little dirty talk, delivered directly into Hana's ears in between affectionate pecks, would be a fun and stimulating contrast."

            mc "You're the one shaking your hips and grinding your plump ass into me, all after gushing all over my face."

            hana "Hnng...! Drumming requires a lot of s-stamina...!"

            mc "Gh-!"

            "She punctuated her comment by bringing her weight down {b}hard{/b}, before continuing at the previous pleasant pace."

            mc "You love getting your pussy fucked, don't you?"

            hana "H-haa...! Who doesn't from time to time, hmmm?"

            mc "I wonder how much time it would take to satisfy a bitch like you?"

            hana "I know you love getting your cock squeezed and milked."

            hana "You and I are both just horny idiots and your dick is on loan tonight, {i}man slut{/i}! "

            "Again, she slammed her hips down with force, sending a jolt of desire through my body."

            hana "So.. a-ah... just sit back and count your lucky stars you got a cute face and a big cock, h-huh?"

    mct "(S-shit...!)"

    "It was a smooth, easy-going sort of pace. Nice and comfortable."

    "As time and pleasure mounted, it wasn't enough to satiate the growing itch in my lower half or soothe the feverish desire slowly blanketing my consciousness."

    mc "*Chwup, kwhup...!*"

    "The urge to move my own hips and fully copulate once more with the horny goth girl was distracting, but I bullheadedly wanted to wait for Hana to want me to move just as much."

    mc "*Cwhup, fwhup, fwhup...!*"

    "To distract myself, I focused on Hana's request, showering her ear with kisses."

    hana "Hnng, aaah...!"

    "I fixated on the trajectory of Hana's hips and the way she deviated from the arc of her thrust ever-so-subtly when my hot breath traveled down her neck."

    hana "Come on... ah..."

    "I took a mental note of how the perspiration rolled down Hana's shoulders and coated my chest, as well as the change in depth in our breathing."

    hana "What are you...?"

    "The minute details of two people fucking like dumb animals was an interesting distracting in its own right, but thankfully..."

    hana "G-gah...! C'mon...!"

    "Thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long."

    hana "You had your fun making me dance for you. Are you r-really just going to let me do all the work?"

    mc "Ah, heh... well, I guess my l-leg is falling asleep here, but..."

    hana "Hnng... ha.... {b}BUT{/b} what?!"

        mc "...but are you ready? You think you can handle it?"

        mc "I've got a lot of gas left over. When I start moving, I'm going to {b}move{/b}."

        mc "If you want me to move, you could always say... 'move, daddy', ha...!"

        hana "Are you s-still on that shit?"

        mc "{i}Maybe{/i}... okay, fine - I've got a lot of gas left over though."

        mc "When I start moving, I'm going to {b}move{/b}. You think you can handle it?"

    "I had purposely spent the last 10 minutes, post-blowjob, recharging my batteries and running down Hana's."

    hana "Oh, trust me, I want all you got so quit yappin-"

    play music "music/rifts-for-days.ogg"

    play ambient "sound effects/boobjob.wav"

    hana "Ngg... A-aaaooooh-!"

    "{b}*Shlick, fwhick, fwhiiip...!*{/b}"

    "I went to work on {b}expending{/b} that marshaled energy."

        mc "Hold on tight then!"

        mc "You haven't seen nothing yet!"

    hana "Hnnngg, whaa--?"

    mc "Just sit back and enjoy!"

    "I would now make reality my burning desire for impact and friction."

    hana "F-ffhhuck y-yess! That's the--"

        "I would scratch Hana's itch for sex so thoroughly that she'd think about me any time she felt even an iota of sexual urge."

        hana "Nhgtyyeeeeoooo...♥♥♥♥"

        "All according to my plan, I was finally going to get this rocker girl to call me daddy."

        hana "Nhgtyyeeeeoooo...♥♥♥♥"

        mct "(...if she could even speak at all.)"

    "Evidently all it took for me to turn into a cocky prick, was a gorgeous woman on my prick."

    hana "--you're fucking my pussy {b}SO{/b} goOoOd....!"

    "I got lucky. I hadn't expected her to react so instantaneously."

    hana "Hnngg♥♥♥"

    "Hana's body went slack, rendering her into a mere fuckdoll in my arms."

    "*Fwhap, shlick, khwicck...!*"

    "This angle, apparently, was the trick."

    mc "{i}Oh?{/i} Is this your g-spot or something?"

    "Over and over, my dick ravaged her at an angle, jabbing the opening of her vaginal canal..."

    hana "I don't care what it is! J-just...."

    "...scraping along the outer wall of her reproductive system..."

    hana "Just... j-juuuust....!"

    "...and stopping just short of painfully colliding with her cervix."

    hana "Just keep PUNCHING IT with your dick!"

    "Hana's howling spoke for itself."

    mc "Yeah, you like that?"

    hana "Gh-!!!! {b}L-love{/b} it...!"

    "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

    mc "You're so easy to uhh.... ngg...!"

    "Lifting Hana up strained my arms, but going down was all gravity."

    mc "You're so easy to push into!"

    "She was so wet that it was like a hot knife cutting through butter, my cock having unabated freedom to shape her pussy to my liking."

    mc "You fit me like a fuckin' glove...!"

    "*Schlick, schlick, shhllliiiichk!*"

    hana "H-hehh... literally a fucking glove, huh? A-ahh..."

    hana "You're... ah... prettty strong... hahaha...! Hnng...!"

    mc "Impressed?!"

    "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

    hana "You're treating me like I'm your cocksleeve....♥♥♥"

    mc "Ha! And you're okay with that?"

    hana "W-whooo da fuck cares?! I'll be whatever you want right now!"

    mc "You'll be whatever I want...?"

    hana "Yhhngg, h-heh! {b}Whatever you want!{/b}."

    hana "You did ask me to talk dirty earlier... {b}well lemme fuckin' have it!{/b}"

    mct "(Let her have it, huh?)"

    "Hana's provocation kicked up a cloud of verbal violence in my head, pushing out all other thoughts and filling it with an eclectic mix of possessive, demeaning, and forceful words."

    "I felt my id slip its nasty tendrils into the cracks of my self-control..."

        "You own her.":

            mc "In that case... {b}you're mine.{/b}."

            hana "Is... is that right? {b}I'm yours{/b}? A-all lovey-dovey like, you mean?"

            hana "H-haaa....that's n-not v-very chh-creative, y'knn--"

            mc "{b}What{/b} am I doing right now? {b}Tell me{/b}."

            hana "Ahhh, you're f-fucking the holy ghost out of me?"

                mc "No... I'm fucking {b}owning{/b} you, Hana."

                mc "I'm graciously giving my fuck-hungry friend what she asked for."

                "No. I'm fucking {b}owning{/b} you, slut."

                mc "No. I'm giving a wishy-washy, cock-starved bitch what she {b}craves{/b}."

            mc "Look down."

            mc "What do you see?"

            hana "Hnng, hhhaaa... t-the floor?"

            mc "Not that far do--"

            hana "{b}I see you fucking me.{/b} Fuckin' me like a piece of meat..."

            mc "Y-you see how we're connected? How the circumference of my dick is pushing you open and dragging {i}you{/i} out with it?"

            hana "Hhhanan, hhnngg... I s-ssure, assss shiiiit do!"

            mc "Right, now. Your brain is h-hitting you with what's called the love hormone."

            mc "Your hypothalamus is releasing oxytocin into your bloodstream - ahhh, haaa... y-you know why it does that?"

            hana "M-make you wanna fuck?"

            mc "It does a lot of things-! It makes child birth go smoother! It gives you warm and fuzzy feelings when you have sex or breastfeed!"

            hana "T-this gonna be on a test, gghhaa...!"

            mc "My point is... it's a c-chemical that builds attachment. Your body is {b}bonding{/b} with me!"

            mc "Your brain is trying to trick you into {b}being mine{/b}! You should listen to your body!"

            mc "Who do you belong to?"

            hana "Ahhh... y-uu--?"

            hana "--!"

                mc "{b}Who{/b} fucking owns you?"

                mc "Now, {b}who{/b} fucking owns you, bitch?"

            hana "Y-you! H-holy shit... you sounded so ho--"

            play ambient "sound effects/boobjob.wav"

            mc "Say my goddamn name!"

            hana "[mcf]! Ahh, hhaa--"

            mc "That's right....!"

            mc "I fucked your mouth...!"

            mc "I'm fucking your pussy...!"

            mc "If I wanted to, you'd let me fuck your ass!"

                mc "You belong to me!"

                mc "You belong to me! I fucking own you, slut."

            "Nonsense spewed out of my mouth."

            mc "Whenever you see me at the club, you're gonna think about how my cock split you apart."

            "Nonsense spewed out of my mouth {b}fast{/b}."

            mc "You're gonna remember the way I ate you out."

            hana "H-hah, hngngg...! Y-yes!"

            mc "The way my dick stretched your throat."

            hana "I'll remember!"

            mc "Wherever you are, you're gonna want it again."

            "But in the heat of the moment, I was buying into the fantasy."

            mc "{b}Say my fucking name!{/b}"

            hana "[mcf]!"

            mc "Who does this pussy belong to?!"

            hana "[mcf]!"

            mc "Who owns you?"

            hana "[mcf] owns me...!"

                mc "Tell me you love it!"

                hana "I love it! I fuckin' love it!"

                mc "Anytime I want it, I can have it?"

                hana "Y-yes! J-justt...!"

                hana "P-please...! Make me cum! I'm almost!"

                mc "Say no more."

                "The time for talking was over."

                mc "As thanks for humoring me, I'll give you the biggest damn orgasm of your life!"

                mc "Who's your fucking daddy?"

                hana "[mcf]!"

                mc "Who's your daddy?"

                hana "[mcf]... is my dadd--"

                hana "A-- w-wait--"

                mct "(Ha Got her...!!!)"

                hana "N-no fair! Did I just--"

                    mc "I said... {b}who's your fuckin' daddy?{/b}"

                    mc "I said... {b}who's your fuckin' daddy, bitch?{/b}"

                hana "Ahhk, you are!"

                hana "F-ffuckck finenee.... w-whatever! You're my fucking daddy!"

                hana "Ahhh, s-shit.. hnngg... you're ssosoooo annnoying...!"

                mc "Good girl. As a reward, get ready to make another mess!"

        "Test the waters on using degrading language.":

            "I know what I {b}wanted{/b} to say."

            mc "Is that so, {i}cunt{/i}?"

            "It was the kind of language, that even before given breath, filled me with the urge to grab Hana by the hair and mess her up."

            hana "H-haaa, y-yeah... talk to me like I'm a fuckin' whore, [mcf]."

            mc "Hnng, hh-haaa.... even if gets... {i}incredibly{/i} {b}demeaning{/b}?"

            hana "A-ahh...! N-nothing wrong with getting lost in a little-- f-fffantassseeeeeh!"

            mct "(Right, this is all just a fantasy within a fantasy...)"

            hana "*Shlick, shlick...!* H-hhnnanaa...."

            mct "(There's nothing wrong with spilling my guts here...)"

            hana "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

            hana "I mean... nothing is... h-ha... going to leave this room..."

            hana "Let it all out! I might even be, hhnng, ch-cathartic!"

            mc "There's just one problem with that..."

            hana "O-oh...? And what's the problem?"

            mc "How can I talk to you like you're a whore?"

            mc "Whores bring a little charm to the mix, whores--"

            mc "Whores are people with {b}actual{/b} jobs...! You're just--"

            "A swirling, sickly sense of erotic freedom took hold of me."

                "A stupid fuckhole.":

                    mc "You're just a stupid fuckhole, understand?"

                    "It felt like my testicles were growing fatter with every word."

                    hana "Cocksleeve, fuckhole... h-ha....! To-may-to, to-may-to!"

                    hana "Hnngg... s-sure, I'll be your {b}fuckhole{/b}...!"

                    mc "You're not {i}my{/i} fuckhole, you're {i}a{/i} {b}stupid{/b} fuckhole. {b}Get it right{/b}."

                    hana "A-ahh... that's....!"

                    mc "{b}Say it{/b}."

                    hana "O-okay, fine... I'm a {i}stupid{/i} fuckh-hohoolle! Stickler for d-details muuch? Hngg...!"

                    "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

                    mc "Nhg! That's right! Hnngg...!"

                    "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

                    mc "You're... just a stupid, wet hole for me to fuck!"

                    hana "H--hhhnngg...!"

                    mc "Say it, cunt!"

                    hana "A-aaahh, I'm a stupid wet hole for [mcf] to fuck!"

                    mc "Again...!"

                    hana "I'm a stupid fuckhole!"

                    mc "Good! Drill those words into your fucking skull!"

                    hana "HHh--hnngg...!"

                    mc "The only thing you're good for is being a receptacle to deposit my cum in, got it?!"

                    hana "A-aaah, hnng, y-yes! Whatever you want, [mcf]!"

                    mc "Say it clearly, cunt!"

                    hana "Haaa-- I'm a {b}cumdumpster{/b} for [mcf] to blow his load in!"

                "A near worthless bitch.":

                    mc "You're a near worthless bitch, you got it?"

                    hana "N-near...? A-aah... And what are my redeeming qualities?"

                    "*Shlick, fwhick...!*"

                    mc "Take a fuckin' guess, slut! You got a couple!"

                    hana "Hnng... m-my sense of humor? And--"

                    mc "{b}Wrong{/b}...! The first are your dumb, ugly tits!"

                    "It felt like my testicles were growing fatter with every word."

                    hana "H-heh...? Ugly...?"

                    mc "The second--"

                    "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

                    mc "The second is you're a convenient place to blow a load!"

                    "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

                    mc "You want me to blow my fuckin' load in you, h-huh?"

                    hana "You can blow it wherever you want, just as long as you--"

                    mc "I asked, {b}do you want me to blow my load in you{/b}, you dumb bitch?"

                    hana "{b}Y-yes!{b} B-blow a load in me, please! It's what I'm here for!"

                    mc "Now you fuckin' get it, cum dumpster!"

                    hana "Hnnng... f-fuuck... your dick...!"

                    mc "{b}What are you?!{/b}"

                    hana "Haaa-- a {b}cumdumpster{/b} for [mcf] to blow his load in!"

            "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk, thwiiip, whickk fwhick...!*{/b}"

            hana "HHnnngg... f-ffhhhhuuk, did I just f-feel you get harder? How the h-hell...! You must r-really...!"

            mc "Because I'm a sick fuck, Hana. I {b}l-love{/b} hearing you say those things."

            "In the heat of the moment, I laid it out on the table."

            mc "I {b}love{/b} hearing women be degraded. You... ah, uuggg... you were right about me, you know?"

            hana "Hhnngg, haa....! Haat...! Shut up!"

            hana "I'm a cum dumpster, not a confessional!"

            mc "Hana..."

            "In my mind, that was her telling me I was wrong."

            mc "Ahhg, you--"

            "That was her accepting me completely in this moment."

            mc "Y-you dumb cunt! I love you!"

            "Dragging Hana on her back, I locked her arms behind her and took complete control over her."

            hana "Y-you! W-wh did you just say--"

            play ambient "sound effects/boobjob.wav"

            hana "Gggg--aggggahh....!"

            mc "Say it again!"

            hana "W-whatt...? Uh... I'mmhh a c-cum dumpster n-not a con--"

            "I felt myself go wild."

            hana "Ahhh, hnhnggg.... I'm your cumdumpster!"

            mc "Hnnngg...!"

            "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

                hana "I'm a stupid, wet fuckhole!"

                hana "I'm a worthless bitch!"

            "Hana indulged me, or maybe she was even into it? Either way..."

            mc "Aaahhhg...!"

            "I felt {i}seen{/i} at this moment."

            hana "[mcf]...!"

                mc "That's right! Say my name, fuckhole!"

                mc "That's right! Say my name, you worthless bitch!"

            hana "Hwwwhhh...! [mcf]..."

            mc "Who's fuckin' you?"

            hana "[mcf]...♥♥"

            mc "You like this dick?"

            hana "Yes!"

            mc "Who's giving it to you?"

            hana "[mcf]...♥♥♥"

            mc "What's my fuckin' name?!"

            hana "[mcf]...♥♥♥♥"

                mc "Tell me you love it!"

                hana "I love it! I fuckin' love it!"

                mc "Anytime I want it, I can have it?"

                hana "Y-yes! J-justt...!"

                hana "P-please...! Make me cum! I'm almost!"

                mc "Say no more."

                "The time for talking was over."

                mc "As thanks for humoring me, I'll give you the biggest damn orgasm of your life!"

                mc "Who's your fuckin' daddy?"

                hana "[mcf]♥♥♥♥"

                mc "Who's your daddy?"

                hana "[mcf]...! [mcf] is my dadd--"

                hana "A-- w-wait...!"

                mct "(Ha Got her...!!!)"

                hana "N-no fair! Did I just--"

                mc "I said... {b}who's your fuckin' daddy, cunt?{/b}"

                hana "Ahhk, you are!"

                hana "F-ffuckck finenee.... w-whatever! You're my fucking daddy!"

                hana "Ahhh, s-shit.. hnngg... after all that c-cumdumpster shit who even caaaares..!"

                mc "Good girl. As a reward, for indulging me, let's make another mess!"

        "Flip the script. Compliment her.":

            mc "Hnngg... you...!"

            hana "Ha! Y-yeah....!"

            mc "Y-you...!"

            hana "Un~huh...? Me, what?"

            mc "You k-know what I l-like about you?"

            hana "Hnngng-- h-huh? Is that... ha... {i}is that supposed to be a trick question or somethin'...?{/i}"

            "I pushed aside the bilious urge leaking from the core of my very being and opted for the opposite approach."

            hana "Ummm... ah, umm.... {b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, hwiiihk...!*{/b} ...the fact that I'm letting you reupholster my pussy?"

            mc "That's on the list, sure, but... hnnngg... !"

            "Searching for the right words required more brain juice than just letting fly the demeaning explicative I had loaded in my stomach, but I wanted to confound Hana, to go against her expectations and fill her head with compliments that were at odds with the violent way I was piercing her cunt."

            mc "Number five is your ass...! F-fhuck you got a great ass!"

            mc "It was your saving grace, when you walked away after pissing me off by treating me like an out of place s-square!"

            hana "H-haa...! You mean the first time we met? Why are you t-thinking about right--"

            mc "Little did I know, j-just a few weeks later, I'd have this beautiful ass bouncing on my dick and the {i}bitch{/i} moaning in pleasure."

            hana "Hnnngg...!"

            mc "Number four is..."

            hana "W-wait, there's a l-liiist?"

            mc "Number four is the cute way you raise your eyebrow when you speak."

            hana "Haat, hhhnn... I-- what? I d-do?"

            mc "Y,hhng, yep...! You do it a lot."

            hana "O-okay...? W-weird direction for some bedroom ta--"

            mc "It's fuckin' adorable, you know that?"

            hana "Hnng, haaat.. i-it is--"

            hana "--!"

            play ambient "sound effects/boobjob.wav"

            mc "And you know what?"

            "Dragging Hana on her back, I locked her arms behind her and took complete control over her."

            mc "When I get done fucking you stupid, {b}I'm going to blow my load right on that cute face of yours.{/b}"

            "I said it as svelte as a square like me could manage."

            mc "I'm going to enjoy watching your adorable expression as my jizz drips down your face!"

            hana "H-haaaannggg! I've never let a guy...!"

            mc "You're gonna let {b}me{/b}, isn't that right?"

            hana "H, hhnggg ahh... f-fuck yes I am!"

            hana "D-do whatever you want with me!"

            mc "I'll, hhngg... ah... I'll hold you to that! {b}Now{/b}, number three..."

            "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

            mc "I {i}love{/i} the way you draw attention to your body."

            hana "Haa, haaaat... w-what, hhngng...?"

            mc "Despite having a pornstar class body, hhnngg... y-you act like you're not stuck up about your looks, but..."

            "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

            mc "You're always drawing attention to your body. The way you favor your right hip when you stand to highlight your curves, the w-way you dress, the way you bring your shoulder forward when you--"

            hana "H-heh...! A-ah...! Is this you c-calling me a slut in so many words?"

            mc "I'm saying I love how {b}cool{/b} you are. Like a work of art, you let your looks speak for themselves."

            hana "Hnnggg...! What the hell are you even saying, dork?"

            mc "The number 2 thing that I {b}respect{/b} about you is that you... {b}you take care of your mom{/b}."

            hana "Wh, hhnnngg....?"

            "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

            mc "No, seriously..."

            "I brought my mouth to Hana's ear, and in a low, more sober tone, spoke the utmost truth."

            mc "You're a good daughter, Hana."

            "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk, thwiiip, whickk, fwhick...!*{/b}"

            mc "{b}You're a good person{/b}."

            hana "A--ahh...! [mcf]... ca-c'mon... that's..."

            mc "I feel like the luckiest guy in the world right now."

            hana "Hnngg.. hhnngg.... just..."

            hana "..."

            hana "...y-you're fucking me, not writing a love letter!"

            mc "H-heh...! That brings me to the {b}final{/b} thing I like about you."

            hana "Ahhnn... ahh...? Wh-why are you s-slowing down?"

                mc "The number one thing I like about you is... {b}you're gonna beg me to keep fucking you{/b}."

                mc "The number one thing I like about you is... {b}you're gonna beg me to keep fucking you{/b}, slut."

            hana "Hnng, h-huhh, whhat, b-but... w-ait.."

            "Hana, half-fucked into lala land, took a moment to process the confusing change in direction."

                mc "Beg me. To. Keep. Fucking. You."

                mc "Beg me. To. Keep. Fucking. You. {b}Slut{/b}!"

            hana "Hhha, hnngg.. {i}p-please...{/i}."

            mc "{i}Please keep fucking me, [mcf]{/i}."

            hana "Please... please..."

            "She squirmed pitifully in my lap."

            hana "Please keep fucking me, [mcf]."

            mc "Say it with a lil' more gusto."

            hana "Please keep fucking me [mcf]!"

            mc "O~kay!"

                mc "One more time."

                hana "Please, please, please, please, please, pleeeease keep fucking [mcf]! I need your cock!"

                mc "Please keep fucking me {i}daddy{/i}."

                hana "Hhnng.. please... oh... you ass..."

                hana "Please... ah... please..."

                hana "{b}Please keep fucking me daddy!!!{/b}"

                hana "...h-happy?"

                mc "Good girl."

            play ambient "sound effects/boobjob.wav"

            hana "Hnnngg...! [mcf]!"

            "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, hwiiihk...!*{/b}"

            hana "[mcf]! H-haaat...! D-deeep!"

            "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk, thwiiip, whickk, fwhick...!*{/b}"

            hana "K-keep fuckin' me... j-just like that...!"

            mc "You love this cock?"

            hana "Mmmhh...! It's MY n-number one thin-thing I l-like about yoouoooUU...♥♥♥ H-hahaa...!"

            mc "Hnnghaa...! Then have as much of it as you like~!"

    "Propelled by our exchange, I ditched our little fantasy inside a fantasy, and just focused on the reality of fucking Hana with every fiber of my being."

    "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk, thwiiip, whickk, fwhick, shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk, thwiiip, whickk, fwhick...!*{/b}"

    hana "{b}Ha, unngng, mmmhhh, hhaaat, hhnngng...!{/b}"

    "Every time I bottomed out inside her drooling cunt sent a thunderous jolt from the base of my testicles down to my toes and a cacophonous blend of fucksounds from Hana's lips."

    hana "Ffhhwwah, hhhnhnngg, ghhhaa, hhhuuuhhggg, fuuuuhghhhkk...!"

    "We had gone beyond simply a rough fuck, blown past an animalistic rut, and was now copulating like we were trying to crack each other open to see what was inside."

    "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk, thwiiip, whickk, fwhick, shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk, thwiiip, whickk, fwhick, hwiiihk, thwiiip, whickk, fwhick, shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk, thwiiip, whickk, fwhick...!*{/b}"

    "With all conscious effort going to moving my hips, there was no room for finer motor control. My fingers bit painfully into Hana's flesh."

    mc "Unnngg, aaahh...!"

    "My arm violently crushed and wrenched her humerus."

    hana "Mmmhh, ghhaaa, ggffffhg, fffwwwahh, hhnngg, yhhhhourr're--"

    "Her shoulder battered my chin and nose."

    hana "Ghhhmma, hhaahhh, hhhnngg, kkkhhhu-- hhnngg, ffhhhu... yhhhhourr're ruuhuhhuining meeehhheee--!"

    "{b}*Shlick, fwhip, fhwaack, shlick, fwhick, thwack, hwap, thwhiiick, shlick, fwhip, thwack, hwap, hwiiihk, thwiiip--! Thwhiiick, shlick, fwhick...!*{/b}"

    "I felt hot."

    hana "Rhuhuuuhhhning...!"

    "Sweat poured down both of our naked bodies."

    hana "Brhhreaeeeakeeen-- "

    "My brain felt like it was being cooked."

    mc "Gggahh, ahh, hhhmmmmmmmgg...!"

    "I groaned from the stabbing ache in my pelvis."

    mc "Gghh, hhhnngg, s-shhhhhi--"

    "My body was begging me to stop the sprint, but a primordial instinct told me to {b}ruin{/b} Hana."

    mct "(Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuckyou. {i}Fuckyou{/i}. Fuck you. {b}Fuckyou{/b}. Fuckyoooou. Fuckknyououu....!)"

    "To mess her up real nice and fine and good."

    mct "(Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!)"

    "To ruin myself and hurl both of us into an abyss that our pleasure-cooked minds might not make it out of."

    hana "Ggghuuuuhhh, heeeehuuuhhh, sshhhdeeyying.....--"

    "She would never."

    "She would never. Ever."

    "She would never. Ever. Forget Me."

    hana "Fhhhuuuuucuhhhhuuuhk, zzzhhhaaa~♥♥♥"

    hana "Hggnngg-!"

    "Hana's cunt tried to grip me to no avail."

    hana "Ghh, gghaa.. hnngg.. hgehhh..."

    "My body was so hot that the only indication I had that Hana had orgasmed was the feeling of her squirt cooling on my thighs."

    hana "Fhhg, hheeeh... dddhheeee.. hhuuughh...♥♥♥ Ahhwwhg~"

    "I didn't stop of course. She was still babbling."

    hana "Huggguhh..♥♥♥♥♥"

    "She still had some sense to be fucked out of her."

    hana "Ghh, hahahhghhhh, aghhhggaaiahhhh♥♥♥♥♥♥♥"

    hana "Fhghhhhugugggsssssssssssssssssssssshhhhaaaaaaaaaa....♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥"

    "Hana's cunt tried to grip me again to no avail, desperately trying to wring the semen from my cock."

    mct "(GGgggggah...! Just hold on! Not yet!)"

    "I had a fat load brewing just for Hana, but it wasn't time."

    hana "Hmmhh, hhhnnnhhh... hhehk... hehhkk.. hehhkk..."

    "Hana's earsplitting moans died down, replaced by comically cute, mouse-like squeaks."

    mct "(Just ten more seconds!)"

    hana "Hhnn, uhhh... ohhha, mhmhhess... hehk, kkhhek, heehk--"

    hana "FFgghhh, hhhhaaa, heeeehhhhhhhhhhhheeEEEEhhhkk--!!"

    "Hana's cunt was too much of a sloppy mess to grip anything by this point."

    hana "Guhh, gahhhh... ahh... he-hehk..."

    hana "{b}*SHLICK, FWHICK, THWIIICK...!*{/b} {size=10}Geeh... ghheehh...{/size=10}"

    "By her next orgasm, Hana's mouse-like squeaks had now transformed into insensate murmurs barely audible over the concurrence of our flesh."

    mc "Ghhh--!"

    "That was good."

    mc "Hnnng... hhaaaahhgg...!"

    "I had accomplished what I wanted, but I was at the end of my rope."

    mc "F--fhhucking... ahhh..!"

    "Now was the time to...!"

        "Cum":

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            mc "Gggaaaahhhh....!"

            "That was the sound of my soul leaving my body, as I pressed deep into Hana's embrace and pushed the accumulation of our shared effort through my cum-slit."

            hana "Hnngnggg..."

            "Although there wasn't much going on in her fuck-drunk brain, Hana subconsciously performed her biological imperative, rocking her hips to coax out every drop in what was already a deluge of frothy white baby batter drowning her womb."

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            mc "Ghehhh...!"

            "I felt so tired. So sleepy."

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            hana "{size=10}Geeh... ghheehh...{/size=10}"

            play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

            "{b}I{/b} felt ruined."

            mc "Ghhahh... hahhh..."

            "I had exacted the same toll on my body as I had set out to do to Hana."

                play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            "I could just..."

            play music "music/inner-light.ogg"

            "......"

            "..."

            mc "Ah..."

            "How long had it been?"

            "A couple of minutes? An hour? A few hours?"

            "My brain was in a fog, but I knew it wasn't longer than that. Blackness still coated my apartment's windows."

            mct "(Fuck I'm thirsty...)"

            hana "Mmmh... wheee yhou ah... goin'?"

            mc "..."

            mc "I'll be right back."

            "........."

            "......"

            "..."

            "My handiwork was spilling out of Hana and onto the couch."

            hana "Mmmh... a-ahhh...?"

            mct "(Fuck, I'm {b}really{/b} thirsty...)"

        "Hose her down.":

            "Between my two conflicting desires to either pack Hana with my seed or to mark her body as my own..."

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            mc "--!"

            "The latter won out."

            mc "Huuhnnngg...!"

            "That was the sound of my death throe, as I slipped free from Hana's embrace and pushed the accumulation of our frenetic struggle through my inadequately pin-sized cum-slit."

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            mc "Ghehhh...!"

            "Spurt after spurt."

            hana "{size=10}Geeh... ghheehh...{/size=10}"

            "In my oversexed state, I wasn't sure I was aiming, but the feeling of my own seed dripping onto my thighs told me I had hit the general vicinity of where I wanted."

            play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

            mc "Heheh..."

            mct "(Haa... good job me...)"

            "I felt so tired. So sleepy."

                play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            mct "(I'll just close my eyes for just a moment...)"

            "......"

            "..."

            play music "music/sneaky-snitch.ogg"

            mc "Ah..."

            "How long had it been?"

            "A couple of minutes? An hour? A few hours?"

            "My brain was in a fog, but I knew it wasn't longer than that. Blackness still coated my apartment's windows."

            mct "(Fuck I'm thirsty...)"

            hana "Mmmh... wheee yhou ah... goin'?"

            mc "..."

            mc "I'll be right back."

            "........."

            "......"

            "..."

            "My handiwork was spilling off of Hana and onto the couch."

            hana "Mmmh... a-ahhh...?"

            mct "(Fuck me, I made a lot...)"

            "That took longer than expected."

    "*Glug, glug, glug...!*"

    "*Glug, glug, glug, glug, gluhg, glug...!*"

    mc "Drink this."

    hana "Ahhh... dohhn... whan... hehahh..."

    mc "Come on. I was nice enough to wait on you."

    mc "Plus, you need it."

    hana "Ah...?"

    hana "Dwwum, hour rhight...!"

    hana "Okay... thaaaaaaanks."

    "*Glug, glug, glug....!*"

    "Hana lazily drunk the H2O bounty, not doing a very good job of getting it all in her mouth."

    "*Glug, glug, glug, glug, gluhg, glug...!*"

    hana "Haaaa...!"

    hana "Fuck, that's the best water I've ever had."

    mc "Right?"

    play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

    hana "Ah... I think... I think I'm just gonna lie here for a minute,"

    hana "Don't be mad, alright?"

    mc "Take it easy and I'll order the food."

    hana "Oooooh~kay, chief...!"

    mct "(Chief...?)"

    play ambient "sound effects/shower.wav"

    "Fuck this shower feels good."

    mct "(Fuck, I love sex.)"

    "After placing the order, I thought a quick shower was in order."

    mct "(Fuuuuuuck...)"

    "In keeping with the rest of the evening, the hot water felt really, {i}really{/i} good."

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "Heeeeeey..."

    "When I emerged from the shower, Hana was upright on my bed, curled into a ball."

    mc "You moved up here, huh? Figured you'd be conked out on the couch."

    "She looked more small and delicate than normal."

    hana "Want me to lie down and pretend that your dick put my ass to sleep?"

    mc "Well, speaking for myself, I was nodding off in the shower."

    mct "(...had she been crying?)"

    "Hana's eyes looked a little puffy, even from here."

    mc "Fucking a woman like you is hard work, you know?"

    hana "Then why even take a shower?"

    hana "You should've gone to sleep next to me instead of letting me get cooooooold~"

    hana "{b}Cold{/b} and {i}missin'{/i}..."

    mc "I was very tempted, trust me, but I'm also fucking starving... and well..."

    mc "Didn't want to reek of sex for the takeout guy."

    hana "Heh. Your back looks so wide from back here..."

    mc "They'll look even wider if you come close. Rub my shoulders, will ya?"

    hana "I'm in worse shape than you."

    play music "music/stoned.ogg"

    mc "C'mon... pleeeeeease?"

    mc "I'm not used to moving on my back like that."

    hana "You get a little spoiled after a conquest, huh?"

    hana "Well, I do love the way I have to stretch my arms to wrap around you."

    mc "Aw, c'mon... I'm not that manly."

    hana "{b}Bullshit{/b}."

    "Hana whispered in my ear, making me feel like a king."

    hana "The way I'm feeling right now says you're full of crap."

    mc "Why don't you put some of that energy into my shoulders, then?"

    hana "I can think of a better way to use it."

    mc "I'm feelin' a little sore..."

    "That wasn't actually true, but I figured some physical intimacy would make answering the question I wanted to ask easier for her."

    hana "Okay, sure, 'ya baby."

    "Hana wasn't shy. She jumped right into it and began her work."

    mc "Ah, ahh... thanks."

    hana "No, thank you, [mcf]."

    mc "For what?"

    hana "For, ah, well... tonight was..."

    hana "Tonight was kinda a big deal for me."

    mc "C'mon... all we did was have sex."

    hana "You're lucky I'm the type of girl who knows you don't {b}mean it{/b} how that sounds."

    mc "Thank you. I appreciate that."

    mc "{b}You{/b} were incredible, but all I meant was I didn't do anything special."

    hana "Don't deflect, asshole. It was a big deal to {b}me{/b}."

    yh "..."

    mc "{b}I'm glad.{/b}"

    "For a moment, we fell into a comfortable silence, and I enjoyed the amateur way Hana's fingers dug into my back."

    hana "Mmmhh..."

    mc "By the way, were you..."

    "Still, I didn't want the silence to get so thick that I missed the window to make the observation I wanted to make."

    mc "...were you crying?"

    hana "{b}No{/b}."

    mc "My mistake then. It just kinda looked like you were."

    hana "......"

    hana "...a {i}little{/i}."

    mc "Was I that amazing I brought you to tears?"

    hana "Pffh! Yeah, right."

    mc "I do something wrong?"

    hana "You're {i}such{/i} a guy."

    mc "Comes packaged with the wide shoulders I guess."

    hana "Does there have to be a reason?"

    hana "Sometimes a girl just gets a little emotional after being turned inside out. You were goddamn savage after all."

    mc "Isn't that what you wanted?"

    hana "I didn't mean that as a complaint."

    yh "..."

    mc "Unless you fess up, all I'm going to take away from this conversation is that I AM amazing. You don't want me to become insufferable, do you?"

    hana "You mean more insufferable than you already are?"

    mc "I walked into that-- -- a-ah, that's the spot."

    hana "Here?"

    mc "Yeah. Right there"

    mc "You're... {i}very{/i} good with your hands."

    hana "I should be. I gave a lot of them."

    mc "Your mom?"

    hana "Yeah. The nurse told me it would help reduce the muscle spasms, but more than anything..."

    hana "It's a good way to reset the mood between us when we want to bash each other's heads in."

    mc "That's nice."

    hana "It is. Things like that... the little things... our talks... the way she looked so interested and excited about who I was going out with tonight..."

    hana "They're all just going to be memories."

    hana "God, I'm an awful daughter..."

    mc "{b}Bullshit.{/b}"

    hana "I should be making the most of our time, but I ended up on your couch for a few days."

    mc "You needed a break."

    hana "I guess, but... I can't help but feel I could've handled it better."

    mc "You're not perfect, Hana. What you are, though, is there for your mom."

    mc "I mean for Christ's sake, you're working at a place you despise in order to pay for her palliative care. Cut yourself some slack."

    yh "..."

    hana "...you know what the worst part about being boxed in by my old man is?"

    "I took the question as rhetorical and waited for her answer."

    hana "I'm not actually boxed in. I could've told him to fuck off."

    hana "It'd be one thing if putting up with that place helped my mom get better, but it won't."

    hana "It won't save her! It just saves me from busting my ass and going broke!"

    hana "The truth of the matter is... no matter how much of a joke I become to myself..."

    hana "I'll watch my mom die a slow, painful, and shitty death she doesn't deserve."

    mc "I... I truly can't..."

    mc "I can't imagine. Even just the hypothetical makes me want to puke."

    hana "She's..."

    hana "She's a good lady, [mcf]!"

    hana "{b}Ha{/b}, {i}God{/i}... I would be the ringleader for Kathleen's circus if it had any chance of saving my mom."

    mc "She's lucky to have you, Hana."

    hana "She's the only family I got. She doesn't--"

    hana "*Sniff, sniff* She doesn't deserve--"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "God damnit."

    hana "...ah, what am I even going on about?"

    hana "I'm whining like a child."

    "Her face turned eerily hard in contrast to her utter despair from just seconds earlier."

    mc "Hana..."

    "That kind of desolate acceptance of a hard situation was even more..."

        "Promise to be there for Hana.":

            mc "You're amazing, Hana. Like..."

            mc "*sigh* Tell me, what the hell is it with some women?"

            "Staring at Hana's face, reminded me of some unpleasant memories."

            hana "I don't think I understand..."

            "Memories that while sad, let me see Hana's attempt at a stiff upper lip as dignified."

            mc "Growing up, my mother had the same look as you do right now."

            hana "...?"

            mc "The look of a woman swallowing her grief, putting on a strong face, and not burdening the person she cared about."

            mc "How that exacerbates one's loneliness, I have yet to experience, but I am confident that she is absolutely the strongest woman I know."

            hana "I couldn't do that.."

            mc "Really? Cause I'm seeing a lot of her in you right about now."

            mc "Keeping it bottled up, keeping your work secret... I bet you don't let yourself cry in front of her."

            hana "What good would that do? What's goin' on in my crazy head pales in comparison to her reality."

            hana "She's got it so much worse than I do..."

            mc "You have more mettle than I could ever hope for."

            mc "Me? Ha! I'd crack like an egg."

            mc "Question is, who are you trying to be strong for right now?"

            mc "I'm no one important. So why even hide it?"

            "Before I knew it, without any thought to how my words might entangle our lives, I had settled on a declaration."

            mc "You can show me the face you're hiding right now. Maybe it'll make it easier for you to wear the face you want for the woman who actually matters to you."

            hana "[mcf]..."

            "It wouldn't cost me a thing, I thought."

            mc "{b}I promise you{/b}, you can show me anything you want and I'll accept it unconditionally without expectation."

            "After all, what did it require just to {i}see{/i} another person? What was needed to be the equivalent to emotional charcoal?"

            mc "Just {b}be{/b} yourself, okay?"

            "I foolishly thought I could do a good thing and it wouldn't exact a toll."

            hana "I..."

            hana "Heh, haa... heh...!"

            mc "Don't laugh! I'm serious!"

            hana "Heh, s-sorry... it's just... you're telling me I can be sad, while saying something that makes me happy..."

            hana "Talk about mixed fuckin' signals..."

            "*Chwup.*"

            hana "So... what you're telling me is I have carte blanche to be a selfish bitch then?"

            mc "I put it nicer."

            hana "I'm... not ready for this night to end, [mcf]."

            "I was tired, but..."

            mc "We have until morning."

            "I was looking at a woman who so badly needed a break."

            hana "When's the food going to be here?"

            mc "No telling with that place."

            hana "Then can we please..."

            "I was tired, but..."

            mc "How do you want me?"

            "She looked like a sad puppy dog."

            hana "On your back."

            hana "Where I can see your face."

            mc "Shit. How can I say no?"

            "I was tired as fuck, but..."

            mc "You look really cute right now."

        "Food heals the heart.":

            mc "You know what you look like?"

            hana "I can think of a few possible answers..."

            mc "You look hungry."

            hana "Heh... I am. I'm goddamn starving."

            mc "The night's not over Hana. Not until the sun comes up."

            hana "That's... exactly what I wanted to hear right now, [mcf]."

            hana "Is the place you ordered from any good?"

            mc "Not really."

            hana "Ha! Perfect!"

            "......"

            "..."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/st-francis.ogg"

    hana "Mmmng...!"

    "It proved no trouble to once again slip completely into Hana's soft depths."

    hana "I'm, a-ah... {i}I hope I never get used to it going in.{/i}"

    hana "You fill me up niiiiiicely, [mcf]."

    "She spoke sensually, in a hushed and secretive tone, as if we weren't the only ones in the room."

    hana "Like a dream."

    "To contrast that, she had me pinned down with her eyes, regarding me in full as if we were the only ones in the world."

    hana "..."

    mc "Ah..."

    "What was it about the moment a woman lets her hair down that made it so incredibly attractive?"

    hana "A-aah... how are you so hard, so quickly...? Heh..."

    "The way Hana rode me, hand-in-hand, was a far cry from the savage fucking and endless swearing of not an hour ago."

    hana "You always this ready to fuck?"

    "Hana moved like a gentle tide breaking over the shore, pushing and pulling where we were joined."

    mc "I don't think you're in any position to be chastising anyone else's appetite right now..."

    hana "Did it sound like that? I meant it as a compliment."

    "This placid, comfortable rhythm went against my very idea of sex, but..."

    mc "Then let's enjoy ourselves until you're satisfied, okay?"

    "...but gazing up at Hana's bittersweet expression had a quieting effect on my mind."

    hana "Ahh... I've never done it back-to-back-to-back like this."

    "It momentarily forced my thoughts outward, away from my own singular desire."

    mc "It feels kinda different when you're not so horny you can barely think, huh?"

    hana "Hhnngg... yh... you re-ea-ea-ed my mind."

    "That much was true. The way Hana rose and fell was hypnotic."

    "It felt comfortable. {b}Cozy{/b}. Less... {i}physical?{/}"

    mc "Haahh...!"

    "Instead of a race against the body's wear and tear, this had a vivifying quality, like all the soreness from our earlier exertion was being worked out of my body."

    "In place of a frantic hunger, there was a feeling of contentment. Like there wasn't a clock on this at all."

    mc "Yeah, it's {b}nice{/b}."

    "......"

    "..."

    "Hana and I let the conversation fall by the way side, letting our bodies do the talking."

    "*Shlick, fwhick...!*"

    "She kept our hands firmly locked together, while her other end maintained a strong hold on my cock."

    "*{b}Shlick, fwhick, shliiiick...!{/b}*"

    hana "Hahn...!"

    "As low-energy as this was, our ugly parts {i}were{/i} rubbing against each other."

    hana "Mmmhh.. ahh...!"

    "Her cunt gripped and sucked at my prick all the same, working hard to get it to dole out another alabaster reward for her ovaries to bathe in."

    "*Shlick, fwhick...!*"

    "Naturally, the excitement was indeed steadily building."

    "*{b}Shlick, fwhick, shliiiick...!{/b}*"

    "We {i}were{/i} having sex."

    hana "Ha, hhaaahhh...!"

    "Our ragged breaths and the sound of our junks being pried apart was a testament to that."

    mc "Hnhh..."

    "The endorphins that were making everything so fuzzy and warm right now were certainly a testament to that."

    "*Shlick, fwhick...!*"

    mc "Hnnngaa....!"

    "*{b}Shlick, fwhick, shliiiick...!{/b}*"

    "When I pulled my eyeline away from the visual cudgel that was Hana's shaking tits, I was entreated to the wonderful granularity in expression that I had missed by railing her from behind."

    hana "H-haat...!"

    "It was easy to get swept up in the image she projected, in the clothes and the tattoos that made her so damn eye-catching, but her face itself had a beauty that was easy to miss in all the flash."

    hana "Mmmh, h-huhg..."

    "Her large yellow eyes shined brilliantly, inlayed like a jewel in her heart-shaped face."

    mc "G, ghahh..."

    "The stud in her button-like nose, encased perfectly in the middle of her face by two rounded cheek bones, drew attention down to her lips."

    mc "Hnng, you..."

    "--a dainty mouth with a set of full lips, wet with spit, who had been wrapped around my cock not too long ago..."

    hana "Hnnn, ahh...?"

    "My hips surely found that last bit of reminiscence enticing, as I finally felt energized enough to match Hana's pace."

    hana "H-haaaa... aren't you tired?"

    mc "{i}You're so fucking cute...!{/i}"

    "A man couldn't ask for a better view."

    hana "A-aahh...! Y-yeah...? You said that already..."

    mc "Ahhh, did I...?"

    hana "Well... ahh... tell me that plenty when we're not screwing, alright?"

    "My brain may have been in a fog, but my body knew what to do."

    mc "Ha, haa....! Ssh-ureeee...!"

    "It knew the precise rhythm that was sufficient to carry us both to the end."

    hana "A, haah...."

    "As tired as my body was, it threaded the needle between sustainable and expedient."

    hana "Gh, aahh...♥♥"

    "A pace that would allow me to savor the woman sitting on my lap."

    "*Shlick, fwhick...!*"

    "A pace that would let me ingrain to memory the feeling of two people wordlessly connecting."

    "*{b}Shlick, fwhick, shliiiick...!{/b}*"

    "A pace that reaffirmed what I had promised Hana."

    hana "Haa, [mcf]...♥♥♥"

    "That I would accept her unconditionally."

    hana "Ah, khhaa..."

    "As unconditional as possible from one human being to another."

    "*Shlick, fwhick...!*"

    "As unconditional as possible for someone like me."

    "*{b}Shlick, fwhick, shliiiick...!{/b}*"

    "Was I really capable of that? I didn't know."

    hana "Ghhaa....♥♥♥♥"

    "Maybe it was naive of me to assume I wouldn't develop any expectations of this woman. That I wouldn't one day, no matter how brief our relationship, show her disappointment or anger or contrition."

    mct "(Yeah... it's beyond naive, but...)"

    hana "Ah, yeeess...♥♥♥♥♥"

    "I wanted to try."

    hana "[mcf]... {size=15}[mcf]...♥♥{/size=15} {size=10}[mcf]...♥♥♥{/size=10}"

    "As Hana's own emotions came to a head, perhaps quiet and less bombastic than before, but nevertheless still a distinct break in the tension..."

    hana "Haahaaa..."

    "As Hana clung to me and I clung to her, and her wringing cunt clung to my shaft, I had a thought."

    yh "Hnngg... haa... heh.."

    "I wish my own mother had someone to lean on whenever she felt it was necessary to bury her feelings."

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/door-bell.wav"

    "Ding, dong...!"

    mc "Ah, shit. That's food..."

    hana "Good fuckin' timing..."

    mc "Is it? I haven't, ah... which one of us is going to answer the door?"

    yh "..."

    mc "Yeah, I'll do it..."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    hana "Ahh... d-don't forget to put on clothes!"

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "Hmmmm..."

    hana "Hooooly shit, [mcf]."

    mc "...what?"

    play music "music/stoned.ogg"

    hana "I think I've discovered the path to nirvana."

    mc "Ha, yeah...? What's the secret?"

    hana "A good fucking {i}and{/i} cheap food."

    mc "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

    hana "The only question... do I write a book divulging this secret and become a millionaire or do I bring it to the masses for free and risk becoming a living god?"

    mc "I... heh... ah... I {i}feeeeeeel{/i} like either way you'll have your needs taken care of, o' wise one."

    hana "Hmm... that has a nice ring to it. I think deification is the play. Wanna be my prophet?"

    mc "You think I'm qualified to bring your good news to the masses?"

    hana "Eh, you might need a hair cut first, but..."

        hana "I think you're the man for the job, lover boy."

        yh "..."

        mc "I'll put in my two-week notice at the club."

        hana "I think you're the man for the job, daddy."

        yh "..."

        mc "God, that sounds cringeworthy when my dick isn't hard."

        hana "Ha! Then stop calling me boss, or that will be ALL you ever hear from me."

        mc "I think your father would have an issue with that."

    hana "{b}Good.{/b}"

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "Ah... I don't know if I have the energy to go home..."

    mc "You fishing for an invitation?"

    hana "Weeeell, if you insist... I might as well stay the night."

    mc "Your mom won't miss you?"

    hana "She's not expecting me back. Perk of having a former sex worker as a mother, I guess."

    hana "As long as she knew I was safe, she never blinked twice when I didn't come home."

    mc "That sounds a lot more subtle than my mother's tactic."

    mc "She was practically calling me a nerd the other day and telling me to get laid."

    hana "Should we send her a picture? It might make her evening."

    mc "Don't even joke. She would plan a wedding."

    hana "Oh, yeah? Your mother ever try to teach you how to put a condom on a banana with her teeth?"

    mc "Can't say she did."

    hana "{i}Ha ha{/i}, me... me neither!"

    hana "Meeee neither..."

    mc "Say, what's the deal between you and that Cynthia woman from earlier?"

    hana "I told you. High school drama shit, details of which are too complicated and partly forgotten."

    hana "*Scoff* What made you think of her all of a sudden?"

    mc "Uh... I don't know. Just popped into my head? "

    mc "She seems like the type of gal who knows how to put a condom on with her teeth?"

    hana "Pffft-! Baaaah! Ah, y-you...!"

    hana "You have no idea."

    mc "If it's nothing, you really should get coffee with her. How many friends do you even have?"

    hana "I have plenty of friends... uh..."

    mc "Actual friends..."

    mc "Friends you see under normal people circumstances..."

    hana "..."

    hana "Ah, you know why not."

    "I did, but..."

        "Encourage her to do it anyway, despite the fact she won't be able to ever be fully honest.":

            mc "Yeah, I do... {i}it's just coffee though{/i}."

            hana "It's not {i}just{/i} coffee."

            mc "I just don't think you should let your circumstances box you in like you're allowing them to."

            hana "Yeah?! And what do you kno--- ah..."

            hana "{i}Shit{/i}. I can't use that line with you can I? Not after I've bitched and moaned to you all week."

            mc "Nope, you can't."

            hana "Bah... it's just..."

            mc "I know honesty is important to you, but letting your mom and dad sideline even just getting coffee with an old classmate won't do you any favors."

            mc "Does even the tiniest aspect of your life have to be so difficult? You'll explode."

            hana "You think I'm being overdramatic?"

            mc "I didn't say that. I overthink things too, so I have a pretty easy time calling out other people when they do it."

            mc "So... get some fucking coffee or you just might end up sneaking your friends into a place they {i}really{/i} shouldn't be again."

            hana "Bah... you're... ah... {i}fiiiine{/i}. It's just some coffee."

            mc "It's not {i}just{/i} coffee."

            hana "If I do it, will you do something for me?"

            mc "Name it."

            hana "Funny you should say that, because I've got a Blackwing Eternal CD with your {b}name{/b} on it."

            mc "...are CDs things people actually have still?"

            hana "{b}Physical media is a very important--{/b}"

            mc "Okay, I'll listen to it."

            hana "Good - spending an hour with that backstabbing bitch will be worth it if I can bring you a little culture."

            mc "Now I really want to know the deal between you two..."

            hana "It's just..."

            yh "Just high school shit."

            "......"

            "..."

        "Back off the subject. Honesty is clearly important to Hana.":

            "I thought about further encouraging her, but... blah. It wasn't my place to tell her to abandon her compunctions."

            mc "Yeah, I do."

            "Maybe her over conscientiousness made Hana {i}Hana{/i}."

            mc "I was just thinking you might want to let loose sometime."

            hana "No worries there, {b}my guy.{/b}. I got my music, Suzie Q, and..."

            hana "Tonight was a big step in that direction."

            mc "So it was..."

            "......"

            "..."

    hana "By the way, what should we call this?"

    mc "What do you want to call it?"

    hana "I don't know."

    hana "Part of me doesn't want to call it anything."

    hana "I'd get too many big ideas if we did."

    mc "Are ideas a bad thing?"

    hana "It would be another thing to worry about. Maybe I could accept you fucking other girls as part of your job, but... maybe not?"

    hana "Best not put any limitations on it right?"

        hana "What you promised to me already means the world. Shouldn't that be good enough?"

        hana "Why sabotage exactly what I need right now for what I might want in the future?"

    "The look that she was giving me was like she was hoping I'd say otherwise, but she was also right."

    "It might make work at the club more messy if things ever went sour..."

    "Then again, intertwining our stars might also carry some benefits too..."

    "{i}Wait{/i}, what did I even want? How did I feel about Hana?"

        "{color=#FF1493}\[Hana GF]{/color} You like Hana, so express as much." if minaCheat == False:

            mc "I like you, Hana."

            hana "Ha, sure. I like you too, [mcf]."

            mc "You know what I mean."

            hana "That you're fond of me?"

            mc "Hey, let's not go that far. Yet."

            mc "We hardly know each other."

            hana "Oh, {i}sorry{/i}."

            mc "I mean, what I'm saying is, under other circumstances... I could see it. You and me."

            "It wasn't like I was tied down... and like Hana, who the hell could I possibly even date {i}without{/i} having to lie to them?"

                mc "I already confessed to you that you have a lot of qualities I deeply admire."

                mc "You have a lot of qualities I deeply admire in a person."

            "Hana made... {b}sense.{/b}"

            mc "You're thoughtful, you agonize over your actions in a meaningful way, and you're willing to sacrifice for the woman you care about..."

            "She could offer me the pleasurable trappings of a girlfriend, while having my back at the club."

            mc "I'd be very lucky."

            "She was fun to be around."

            hana "You would wouldn't you..."

            mc "Meanwhile, you might not be."

            hana "You're looking for a compliment, huh?"

            mc "..."

            mc "Yeah? What do you like best about me?"

            hana "I... I mean..."

            hana "You're a future doctor with a big dick?"

            mc "Is that all?"

            hana "...of course not."

            hana "You have this... {i}amazing{/i} talent to disarm people and put them at ease?"

            mc "...do I?"

            hana "That's true of me and... I also see that when you interact with the girls at the club."

            hana "Maybe why Kat's using you as her empathy sponge. I've had that thought..."

            "..."

            hana "{b}So{/b}, That's just the first of a few things I've noticed and like about you..."

            hana "Under other circumstances... yeah, I could see it too. {b}You and me{/b}."

            mc "Why not give it a go then? What do either of us have to lose?"

            hana "Just that simple?"

            mc "Why not? If we can both see it?"

            hana "Under {b}other{/b} circumstances."

            mc "Fuck the circumstances. Let's start a relationship and base it around our circumstances. Not in spite of it."

            hana "......"

            hana "...what does that mean?"

            mc "Meaning, we shouldn't wait for good things to come to us. We should make them ourselves."

            mc "The club is the club, we're both a part of it, and that won't change - not for a while, at least - so that reality will become part of our relationship."

            mc "Ultimately, it might not be tenable for either of us, but I like you and you like me so why not give it a try?"

            hana "When you say it, it's almost convincing..."

            mc "Be convinced."

            hana "Ah.. huh..."

            "......"

            "..."

            hana "The only way..."

            hana "We build it around our circumstances, like you said."

            hana "The club is the club, but outside of it {b}you're mine.{/b}"

            "That was Hana's stipulation. Outside of club business, she expected fidelity."

            hana "I want honesty and transparency, like a... {i}normal{/i} relationship."

            "My answer came in the form of a kiss."

            "A kiss that Hana readily accepted."

            play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            $ Hana_Relations = "Goth GF"

            mc "I'm {b}yours{/b}."

            hana "Heh. Boyfriend, huh?"

            $ history_hana = "It wasn't planned, but Hana and I decided to put a name on what has been brewing between us. It only made sense, as this was the only way we could have the semblance of a romantic life outside of the club without having to lie."

            play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            hana "A little less tattoos than I would like."

            mc "Beggars can't be choosers."

            "Now, she kissed me."

            hana "The word makes me happy."

            "......"

            "..."

        "{color=#FF1493}\[Hana GF]{/color} Carnations aside, there's also that thing with Mina... still, you {b}do{/b} like Hana." if minaCheat == True:

            "I took a minute to consider what I was about to say."

            mc "I like you, Hana."

            "That much was true."

            hana "Ha, sure. I like you too, [mcf]."

            mc "You know what I mean."

            hana "That you're fond of me?"

            mc "Hey, let's not go that far. Yet."

            mc "We hardly know each other."

            hana "Oh, {i}sorry{/i}."

            mc "I mean, what I'm saying is, under other circumstances... I could see it. You and me."

            "It wasn't like I was tied down... and like Hana, who the hell could I possibly even date {i}without{/i} having to sneak around about my job?"

                mc "I already confessed to you that you have a lot of qualities I deeply admire."

                mc "You have a lot of qualities I deeply in admire in a person."

            "Sure I had that weird deal with Mina, but... Hana made... {b}sense.{/b}"

            mc "You're thoughtful, you agonize over your actions in a meaningful way, and you're willing to sacrifice for the woman you care about..."

            "She could offer me the pleasurable trappings of a girlfriend, while having my back at the club."

            "She was fun to be around."

            mc "I'd be very lucky."

            hana "You would, wouldn't you..."

            mc "Meanwhile, you might not be."

            hana "You're looking for a compliment, huh?"

            mc "..."

            mc "Yeah? What do you like best about me?"

            hana "I... I mean..."

            hana "You're a future doctor with a big dick?"

            mc "Is that all?"

            hana "...of course not."

            hana "You have this... {i}amazing{/i} talent to disarm people and put them at ease?"

            mc "...do I?"

            hana "That's true of me and... I also see that when you interact with the girls at the club."

            hana "Maybe why Kat's using you as her empathy sponge. I've had that thought..."

            "..."

            hana "{b}So{/b}, That's just the first of a few things I've noticed and like about you..."

            hana "Under other circumstances... yeah, I could see it too. {b}You and me{/b}."

            mc "Why not give it a go then? What do either of us have to lose?"

            hana "Just that simple?"

            mc "Why not? If we can both see it?"

            hana "Under {b}other{/b} circumstances."

            mc "Fuck the circumstances. Let's start a relationship and base it around our circumstances. Not in spite of it."

            hana "......"

            hana "...what does that mean?"

            mc "Meaning, we shouldn't wait for good things to come to us. We should make them ourselves."

            mc "The club is the club, we're both part of it, and that won't change - not for awhile, at least - so that reality will become part of our relationship."

            mc "Ultimately, it might not be tenable for either of us, but I like you and you like me so why not give it a try?"

            hana "When you say it, it's almost convincing..."

            mc "Be convinced."

            hana "Ah.. huh..."

            "......"

            "..."

            hana "The only way..."

            hana "We build it around our circumstances, like you said."

            hana "The club is the club, but outside of it {b}you're mine.{/b}"

            "That was Hana's stipulation. Outside of club business, she expected fidelity."

            hana "I want honesty and transparency, like a... {i}normal{/i} relationship."

            "My answer came in the form of a kiss."

            "Honesty, huh...?"

            "A kiss that Hana readily accepted."

            "In the future, I would have a choice."

            play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            $ Hana_Relations = "Goth GF"

            mc "I'm {b}yours{/b}."

            "I would either have to make myself a liar, be upfront about my odd agreement with Mina, or put a stop to it altogether."

            hana "Heh. Boyfriend, huh?"

            $ history_hana = "It wasn't planned, but Hana and I decided to put a name on what has been brewing between us. It only made sense, as this was the only way we could have the semblance of a romantic life outside of the club without having to lie."

            play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            hana "A little less tattoos than I would like."

            mc "Beggars can't be choosers."

            "Now, she kissed me."

            hana "The word makes me happy."

            "......"

            "..."

        "{color=#FF1493}\[Fuck buddies]{/color} The nameless something you have going right now is a good thing.":

            mc "I don't think it needs that much thought."

            "Yeah... this was best. Neither of us was in any position to take it a step beyond this - and I wasn't even sure if I had it in me or even wanted to."

            mc "Not thinking was the whole point of the night."

                "Plus there was Mina. Having casual fun with two twin-tailed beauties had me reconsidering if I was even truly working on a karmic deficit."

            hana "You're saying I can use you as a stress release anytime I want?"

            mc "Do I need to quote that Bill Withers song?"

            hana "Please don't."

            mc "Tonight was fun."

            hana "It hit the spot..."

            "{b}Yeah{/b}, why complicate it?"

                "I could be there for Hana, without promising her the impossible of me."

                "Why enter into an arrangement that didn't suit my personality?"

            "Maybe down the line, something might change between us, but right now..."

            hana "Should I change your name in my phone to booty call?"

            play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            $ Hana_Relations = "Fuck Buddies"

            "I considered myself the world's luckiest bastard."

            $ history_hana = "Hana and I fucked liked rabbits. Doing that on the regular might just be nice."

            play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            "......"

            "..."

    mc "You know, we've still got enough time on the clock for another round of songs."

    hana "Yes. We do..."

    hana "Find a duet."

    "......"

    "..."

    "The physicality from the ice cream parlor failed to manifest itself again. Instead, after departing the karaoke bar, we spent the rest of the night talking and henpecking at our food as it rapidly grew cold."

    hana "You've got to be sick of hearing me yak!"

    "It was comfortable, and all the while, Hana had a smile on her face."

    mc "Ah... not really? I'm a lazy conversationalist, I like it when the other person does all the heavy lifting."

    mc "There isn't really much going on up here that's worth sharing."

    hana "That's true of everyone, but that doesn't stop most people."

    mc "Heh, guess so. Maybe most people just can't stand silence."

    hana "My mom is like that. If she has no one to talk to... she'll hum. Speaking of which..."

    hana "Thanks for the good time tonight, [mcf]."

    mc "The night's not over yet. Why don't you introduce me to some music that you like?"

    hana "Yeah...?"

    mc "{b}Yeah{/}. Expand my horizons."

    yh "..."

    hana "... you know, I've felt off-kilter these last few weeks... or has it been month? I don't even know."

    hana "Point is, a night like this has been a long time coming."

    mc "What does off-kilter mean to you, exactly??"

    hana "Like the kind of \"I could be reaching for a can of chickpeas in the store and feel like I can't breath\" off-kilter."

    mc "Is there something special about chickpeas?"

    hana "Mom likes them in her salad."

    mc "Oh..."

    "Yeah, I'd be off-kilter too if I had to face my mother's mortality so starkly."

    mc "You're a good daughter, Hana."

    hana "It doesn't feel that way sometimes."

    yh "..."

    mc "I think you should get coffee with that girl from the movie theater."

    hana "Are you saying I need more friends?"

    mc "That is absolutely what I'm saying."

    hana "Ahg, you know the reasons why I don't want to."

    "I did. Honesty was important to Hana, buuuut..."

        "Encourage her to do it anyway, despite the fact she won't be able to ever be fully honest.":

            mc "Yeah, I do... {i}it's just coffee though{/i}."

            hana "It's not {i}just{/i} coffee."

            mc "I just don't think you should let your circumstances box you in like you're allowing them to."

            hana "Yeah?! And what do you kno--- ah..."

            hana "{i}Shit{/i}. I can't use that line with you can I? Not after I've bitched and moaned to you all week."

            mc "Nope, you can't."

            hana "Bah... it's just..."

            mc "I know honesty is important to you, but letting your mom and dad sideline even just getting coffee with an old classmate won't do you any favors."

            mc "Does even the tiniest aspect of your life have to be so difficult? You'll explode."

            hana "You think I'm being overdramatic?"

            mc "I didn't say that. I overthink things too, so I have a pretty easy time calling out other people when they do it."

            mc "So... get some fucking coffee or you just might end up sneaking your friends into a place they {i}really{/i} shouldn't be again."

            hana "Bah... you're... ah... {i}fiiiine{/i}. It's just some coffee."

            mc "It's not {i}just{/i} coffee."

            "......"

            "..."

        "Back off the subject. Honesty is clearly important to Hana.":

            "I thought about further encouraging her, but... blah. It wasn't my place to tell her to abandon her compunctions."

            mc "Yeah, I do."

            "Maybe her overly conscientiousness made Hana {i}Hana{/i}."

            mc "I was just thinking you might want to let loose sometime."

            hana "No worries there, {b}my guy.{/b}. I got my music, Suzie q, Jerrica and... {b}you{/b}."

            "......"

            "..."

    hana "Now, you wanted to listen to some music? Just a forewarning, I get really into it."

    mc "How so?"

    hana "I'm going to tell you a bunch of things you don't want to know."

    mc "Good. Because I {b}want{/b} you to tell me a bunch of things I don't want to know."

    "That went for two hours, before Hana departed."

    "The physicality from the ice cream parlor failed to manifest itself again once more. Instead, I found an odd sense of reassurance in the knowledge that my proximity was a relief to another human being."

    mct "(Ah... a lazy day.)"

    "I did absolutely nothing productive at all."

    mct "(Hanging out with Hana was fun for me too.)"

    "Her proximity had also brought me a measure of welcomed distraction."

    "For now, {b}bed{/b}."

    "......"

    "..."

    "The rest of the day was even less productive than playing video games with Ian."

    "I spent a whole hour, just lying around, {i}thinking{/i} about what I should do."

    "That turned into a nap and..."

        "I spent the remaining evening doing fuck all, all the while second guessing myself about telling Ian about his mother's bribe."

        "So naturally, I shamelessly invited my own mother to come cook for me."

        "I considered maybe going out, getting a nice meal or whatever, but... fuck-all sounding pretty good right now."

        "So naturally, I invited my own mother to come cook for me."

    vic "You should invite Ian over. I made too much."

    mc "He said he had plans for tonight."

    vic "Yeah...? Girlfriend plans?"

    mc "Ah..."

    "Knowing him..."

    mc "Probably something like that."

    vic "Hmm... it really is a lot though..."

    mc "I'll keep him some left overs here. He'll be by again sooner than later."

    vic "Great!"

    "All-in-all, it was a strangely invigorating day of comfortable socialization."

    mct "(Maybe I should try to spend most of my Sundays like this...)"

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

        kil "........."

        kil "......"

        kil "...what the hell are you doing, you filthy hag?"

        play music "music/ill-remember-you.ogg"

        kil "I told you not to smoke in the living room. Do it out on the balcony."

        alice "Sorry, sir."

        kil "{b}Wait{/b}. Just..."

        kil "It's fine, smoke all you want. Just lie back down."

        alice "..."

        alice "{b}Okay{/b}."

        kil "...thanks for tonight. I know it was out of the blue."

        alice "Eh...?"

        alice "You feeling alright, sweetie...?"

        kil "Bah! Since when do you crack jokes?"

        alice "I guess {i}you{/i} just put me in a good mood."

        kil "Hmmpfh, yeah...?"

        alice "You were even more incorrigible than usual tonight."

        "......"

        "..."

        kil "Actually, I want to ask you something. {i}Why are you doing this?{/i}"

        alice "I'm not really sure what you mean..."

        kil "I mean, when I came onto you, why didn't you push me away?"

        alice "I... didn't want to?"

        alice "This has turned out to be a lot of fun. Ever since Stewart died, I've just been so, ah..."

        alice "I mean sure, it's weird considering I've known you since you were a child, but that wrongness is what makes it exciting, right?"

        kil "...heh."

        kil "{i}Fuckin' slut.{/i}"

        alice "...is everything alright?"

        kil "C'mon, why are you even asking that?"

        alice "I'm asking that because I want to hear how you're doing."

        "..."

        alice "--and also, because you've felt a little off all night."

        kil "...you {b}could{/b} always read me, huh? I remember when you dragged it out of me that [mcf] broke Mom's porcelain vase while roughhousing."

        alice "It wasn't difficult. You aren't as smooth as you think you are, especially not 12 years ago."

        kil "I was so scared Mom wouldn't let [mcf] come over anymore and you--"

        kil "I never told you how much I appreciated you taking the blame for us."

        alice "It's not like it cost me anything. Accidents happens, you looked so pitiful, and Mrs. Beaufort likes me."

        kil "You told me she docked your pay!"

        alice "Well, you had to learn some kind of lesson, right?"

        kil "Hah! Jeez..."

        alice "...{i}is everything alright{/i}?"

        kil "I've just been thinking about people's expectations of me."

        kil "Mom and Dad ask too much, Mina asked too little..."

        alice "Asked?"

        kil "She broke up with me."

        alice "Aw, sweetie, that's too..."

        kil "You don't have to pretend like you're not happy about that."

        "..."

        alice "...this is how I figure it: the only expectations that matter are the ones you set for yourself."

        kil "The thing is, I've avoided setting any for myself... maybe that's why Uncle hasn't..."

        alice "Why Dr. Kohler hasn't what?"

        kil "Oh, um, nothing... just a random thought."

        kil "Anyway, I was thinking... maybe... setting some goals for myself wouldn't be so bad?"

        kil "...maybe it'll even help me figure out why Mina always bugged me."

        alice "What do you mean...?"

        kil "I mean, was she really just that stupid? Why did she stick around so long?"

        kil "I don't get it. Did she like me...?"

        kil "What's there to like...?"

        alice "Ian..."

        alice "I think setting some goals for yourself is a good idea, as long as they're your own."

        kil "The only problem with that is... {i}I don't really want anything?{/i}"

        kil "......"

        woman "Huunng, eeeuuggg, hhaaaa...!"

        kil "..."

        woman "C'mon, gahh... c'mon babbbyy....!"

        play music "music/cello-suite-No-1-G-Major-Prelude.ogg"

        woman "Fhhuuuuck me already....!"

        kil "Sluts like you are..."

        "*Glug, glug, glug...!*"

        kil "...TOO easy. Where's your self-respect, Amber?"

        amber "Puhhlleeease, you've kept me waiting for..."

        kil "Ten minutes? I've seen a woman hold out longer than an hour."

        amber "A-ahh... Don't be meeeeaan..."

        kil "Well, luckily I'm a gentleman. Let's get you--"

        play ambient "sound effects/ringing-inbound.wav"

        "*Brrrring, ring...!*"

        kil "Ah, hold that thought."

        play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

        kil "Heya, Uncle..."

        chuck "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

        kil "Nah. Just in the middle of a late night snack."

        kil "You don't normally call this late. What's up?"

        chuck "My sister says you're not returning her calls."

        kil "So? That's nothing out of the ordinary."

        chuck "Maybe, but this time, she called me -- and well..."

        chuck "When it comes to small favors, I always listen to my little sister's requests. You {b}should{/b} pick up the phone when she calls, lad."

        kil "Alright, uncle. Message received."

        kil "You can tell her you did what you said you would."

        chuck "...{i}are{/i} you going to pick up the next time she calls?"

            kil "{b}Not a fuckin chance.{/b}"

            kil "I was planning on giving her a call tomorrow, but I learned something today. You know what [mcf] told me she tried to get him to do?"

            chuck "If I were to take an educated guess, I would say... {i}fulfill your simple minded father's desire for a legacy?{/i}"

            kil "Yes! How did you know?!"

            chuck "I only listen to my little sister's requests when it comes to {i}small favors.{/i}"

            kil "That bitch!"

            chuck "That's your mother and my sister, lad. Be more respectful."

            kil "Respect is earned!"

            chuck "Ha! That it is! But have you ever given either of your parents a reason to respect you either?"

            kil "..."

            chuck "I didn't mean to make that sound so judgemental."

            kil "Well, you missed the fuckin' mark there."

            chuck "You know I don't ever wish to see you follow in your dull father's footsteps, right? The only thing I ask of you is that you live life how you want."

            kil "I was planning on giving her one tomorrow. I've just been busy."

            chuck "We both know that's a crock of shit."

            kil "Okay, okay... I wanted to frustrate her after her {b}annoying{/b}, holier-than-thou speech the other night."

            chuck "Christ, you two... you know she truly loves you right? I wish you two could get along."

            kil "Maybe we could, if it wasn't for Dad. She's like a fuckin' broken record, doing his bidding."

            chuck "You mean how he desires you to follow in his footsteps?"

            kil "It's every damn time I see her."

            chuck "I don't blame you. Your father is a simple and dull man."

            chuck "Still, my sister just wants you to want more out of life. If you gave her another path, I'm sure she'd be happy to just leave your disagreement over the family business to you and your father."

            kil "..."

            chuck "Ah... my nephew, don't worry about any of that. The thing I ask of you is that you live life how you want..."

        chuck "What form that takes, whether it be conquering some long-distant challenge or spending your limited time on this Earth balls deep in some tramp's crotch, that's for you to discern."

        chuck "And I'm happy to {b}watch{/b} that play out..."

        kil "Thanks, uncle. I'm lucky to have someone to support me as unconditionally as you."

        chuck "Don't you ever forget it, lad. Unlike some people around me, it's a comfort to know that at least you..."

        chuck "...know not to bite the hand that feeds."

1.        Week3Up2

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    $ date = "june15day"

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/love-or-lust.ogg"

    mina "Hnnnzzzz...! Ah..."

    fel "Mmmhh... ehh...?"

    mina "Huuuuhnnzzz..."

    fel "Ahhhmmm... your..."

    fel "Your breath stinks, kid."

    mina "Yeah, you too, slut."

    fel "Who is waking up in a loose woman's bed right now?"

    mina "Heh! {b}Good morning--!{/b}"

    mina "Unng... ah... my head..."

    mina "Why are wine hangovers the worst hangovers?"

    fel "You should've listened to me and gone with vodka."

    mina "Thanks for watching all those awful episodes with me.... I don't think that \"research\" did me any good, though."

    fel "Why not?"

    mina "It's ALL blending together right now..."

    fel "You're really going to be on that hokey show, huh?"

    fel "......"

    mina "..."

    fel "I do remember something from last night."

    mina "...what?"

    fel "You revealed something preeeetty juicy."

    mina "Whaaaaat...?"

        fel "You got [mcf] to help with your little list."

        mina "Well... you know... it was pretty easy to convince him."

        fel "It always is... for stuff like {i}that{/i} at least."

        fel "Just be careful, okay?"

        mina "Don't worry. [mcf]'s nice."

        fel "...I know you think you're keeping a casual spin on it, but he's only your second man."

        mina "My \"second man\"...? Jeez! Why make it sound so biblical?"

        mina "Besides, we haven't {i}done it{/i} done it yet."

        fel "So you told me, but still... {b}be careful{/b}, please? Don't get {b}too{/b} serious about him."

        fel "He may be more like Ian than you'd like."

        mina "Do you know what's funny? I told [mcf] the same thing about you."

        fel "Heh. You're a good girl."

        mina "What about you, though? Are you two...?"

        fel "Fucking for funsies? Would that make you jealous?"

        mina "Hmm... honestly? Naaaaah."

        mina "If he's still holding your interest, that bodes well for my bucket list, doesn't it?"

        fel "You know, Mina... you're kinda scary."

        mina "Seriously though. Are you two still \"fucking for funsies\"...?"

            fel "{b}Yeah{/b}. We're actually going to Fiona's art exhibit on Wednesday."

            mina "Wait, r-really?!"

            fel "You said you didn't care."

            mina "I don't; I'm just surprised. Isn't that kind of public?"

            fel "Not really. Not the kind of public that would get back to Elias."

            fel "...and even if it did, not like we're gonna fuck on the exhibition floor."

            mina "Eh, eheh, huh... I hope you have fun. I'd..."

            mina "I'd like to see you two go at it."

            fel "Is voyeurism on your list?"

            mina "It's not {i}not{/i} on my list, but... *ahem* speaking from experience, [mcf]'s kinda intense, isn't he?"

            fel "I... suppose? Was that your experience?"

            mina "Y-yeah... he {i}manhandled me{/i}, but like... in a good way?"

            mina "I could barely think. He had me back and forth, bent this way and that way... ah, anyway..."

            mina "I just think watching you two have sex... would be interesting."

            fel "What? Do you want to watch us go at it Wednesday?"

            mina "Are you seriously asking?"

            fel "I {i}do{/i} like an audience."

            mina "Then... yes, I would."

            fel "Ha, you're so cute when you're honest!"

            fel "I'll give you a call then when we do it."

            fel "...by the way, good job breaking it off cleanly with Ian."

            fel "Eh, we had some fun a couple weeks ago, but that's fizzled out by now."

            mina "How come?"

            fel "He turned me down."

            mina "Really? That's..."

            fel "Why are you smiling?"

            mina "It's just... that's all it takes for it to be over with you, huh?"

            fel "Absolutely."

            fel "...by the way, good job breaking it off cleanly with Ian."

            fel "We fooled around the night we met, but it stopped there."

            mina "Did it? How come?"

            fel "He turned me down."

            mina "Really? That's..."

            fel "Why are you smiling?"

            mina "It's just... that's all it takes for it to be over with you, huh?"

            fel "Absolutely."

            fel "...by the way, good job breaking it off cleanly with Ian."

            fel "We never did anything."

            mina "What, really?! I thought you did."

            mina "How come?"

            fel "Well, I did make a move the night we met, but he... heh, {b}he turned me down.{/b}"

            mina "Ha!"

            fel "What's so funny?"

            mina "He turned you down and not me."

            fel "...you bitch. {i}Savor{/i} that feeling."

            fel "...by the way, good job breaking it off cleanly with Ian."

        fel "Your clumsy attempt at seduction got rejected!"

        fel "I mean... pfhha, c'mon... \"..am I really not enough, sad face\"...?"

        mina "Don't be a bitch! He didn't want to two-time his friend!"

        fel "Ha! Perhaps!"

        fel "It must've been a shock."

        mina "I felt like an idiot. {i}He{/i} told me we were still friends!"

        mina "He would've been so lucky."

        fel "Don't feel stupid. It sounded like he-- aha, I mean...!"

        fel "He's the dumb one, girl. What kind of cockless idiot turns down a hot young blonde with an extensive sexual to-do list?"

        mina "*Sigh* Ha, thanks. But, he went the extra distance to make me {i}not{/i} feel stupid afterward."

        mina "Still, it sucks being rejected."

        fel "Growing pains, kid. Speaking of which... good job breaking it off cleanly with Ian."

    mina "I was too slow doing it. I should've done it the moment I saw that video."

    fel "All that matters is that you did it."

    mina "We had this conversation last night."

    fel "We had something like it, but I didn't have the benefit of saying it sober."

    mina "You've been a good friend to me these past few days, Felicia."

    fel "Well, you're a good kid and I don't have any friends. Got to make it count."

    mina "So, you're saying you like having someone young like me who'll listen to your old butt?"

    fel "I just see a lot of myself in you. Not because of similar circumstances or anything, just..."

    mina "Heh. I could only hope to be half as cool as you."

    fel "Ah, c'mon... I--"

    mina "Hopefully, I'll have it more put together than you and not be hanging out with a dumb 19-year-old."

    fel "{b}Cunt!{/b}"

    mina "Do you want to get breakfast?"

    fel "Sure, but it's gotta be a quick one. I've got some stuff to do today."

    mina "What stuff?"

    fel "A meeting to discuss the week's theme for a sex club I'm involved in."

    mina "Uh... um... ahuh...?"

    fel "I'm just kidding! I've got some errands!"

    fel "Let's get breakfast."

    "......"

    "..."

        $ date = "june15day"

    play sound "sound effects/page-turn.wav"

    "We slept hard, and we slept in late."

    "Turns out fucking until you almost pass out is a pretty good non-prescription sleep aid."

    play music "music/lobby-time.ogg"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "Christ, I fuckin' stunk. How did you not kick my ass out of bed?"

        "You guess you were too tired to care.":

            mc "I didn't even notice. You put my ass to sleep."

            hana "Heh~ yeah..."

        "It's probably because she's so cute?":

            mc "You're cuter than you smelled, I guess."

            hana "You guess?"

            mc "Okay, you're just too cute."

            hana "Thought so."

        "Tell her you like the way she smelled.":

            mc "I liked the way you smelled."

            hana "Eh...? {i}Really{/i}?"

            mc "Yep. I {b}made{/b} you smell that way."

                mc "It was hot. Reminded me of how you were screaming my name last night."

                mc "It was hot. Reminded me of how I had you calling me Daddy last night."

            hana "Oh, fuck off."

            mc "{b}I am{/b} a god among men."

            hana "Well..."

                hana "I don't have an issue helping my boyfriend feel like a god."

                hana "You were pretty good, but don't get a big head."

    hana "By the way, you should've taken a shower with me. I would've blown you."

    mc "......"

    mc "..."

    mc "I'll remember that in the future."

    hana "Hehe~"

    mc "Still, you otherwise would not have had this warm breakfast waiting for you. So, hurry up and get down here and eat."

    hana "Since when... are you so commanding?"

    mc "What's with that look?"

    hana "Have I mentioned to you how much I love your shoulders?"

    mc "You're gonna make me blush."

    hana "*Chwup* Mhh..."

    hana "Haaa... you don't mind a little morning sugar, do you?"

    mc "It's a good pick me up..."

    hana "Heh, hehh...!"

    hana "Fhwup* Haaah..."

    hana "I shouldn't let your hard work go to waste by letting the food get cold."

    "My work wasn't the only hard thing, but I was pleased to let the morning go to a place..."

    play music "music/jazz-piano-bar.ogg"

    "...more lazy, listless, and comfortable. There was the nagging feeling that I should get up and prepare for my day, but I felt tethered to Hana."

    hana "Hey, look."

    "Unwanting and adverse to leaving the cozy bubble we were in."

    mc "Oh...?"

    mc "That's you and Jerrica."

    hana "Yep."

    mc "Cynthia was right. You haven't really changed much."

    mc "Not outwardly, at least. I like the pink hair."

    hana "Right? Cute as fuck."

    hana "Should I give it a spin again?"

    mc "You're asking if you should dye your hair...?"

    mc "Hmm..."

    mc "{b}Nah{/b}. Your hair's beautiful - so black that you can get lost in it."

    mc "I like you the way you are."

    hana "That's that."

    mc "What about me?"

    hana "I don't think pink's your color."

    mc "No?"

    hana "{b}No...{/b}"

    hana "W~oooow, you're blind, huh?"

        "In short order, it was easy to see why I was so quick to promise Hana something I shouldn't have done last night."

        mc "I can make you out just fine."

        "Moments like this quieted the mind. Reduced and simplified."

        mc "C'mere..."

        hana "Mmmh..."

            "But {b}I did{/b} promise her something difficult."

                "There was Mina, who in her loneliness and anger, spilled her guts to me. I promised to help her with her list."

                "There was Rosalind and our deal, with all the extracurricular activities that entailed..."

                    "{b}Especially{/b} the extracurricular activities..."

                "There was Felicia, exhilarating to be around."

                    "I had her art exhibition this Wednesday, plus I promised I'd try out to be her sugar baby..."

                    "I promised I'd go to that art exhibition with her this Wednesday..."

            "There was no point in explaining the convoluted circumstances to Hana."

            "The choice was simple: keep my promise to Hana or don't."

            "......"

            "..."

        hana "...I think you should go brush your teeth?"

        mc "Ha! Same to you!"

        hana "I don't have a toothbrush here."

        "I should savor moments like this, I thought."

        mc "C'mere..."

        hana "Mmmh..."

        "Really make the most of it and count my stars at being so lucky."

            "My life is a lot of fun right now. There was cock-starved Hana and..."

                "Curious and perverted Mina."

                "Rosalind and our deal."

                    "Of which I've well taken advantage of..."

                "There was Felicia, exhilarating to be around."

                    "I had her art exhibition this Wednesday, plus I promised I'd try out to be her sugar baby..."

                    "I promised I'd go to that art exhibition with her this Wednesday..."

            "......"

            "..."

            mct "(Fuck yeah! My life is dope!)"

            "......"

            "..."

        hana "...I think you should go brush your teeth?"

        mc "Ha! Same to you!"

        hana "I don't have a tooth-brush here."

    mc "Give me back my glasses!"

    "......"

    "..."

    "Inevitably though, that tether had to be cut. Hana had to check in on her mom and answer her many questions, and me... well..."

        $ date = "june15day"

    play sound "sound effects/page-turn.wav"

    mc "Mmmhh..."

    "I wanted to go back to sleep, but..."

        mc "I didn't get any play last night with Hana, did I? But so what...?"

    play music "music/sneaky-snitch.ogg"

    "Why is this thing so out of control?"

    "......"

    "..."

    "Today was Monday, which meant I had to go to the club in a few hours... I should get ready... {b}also{/b}..."

    "I had to go to the club in a few hours, so it would probably be best if I wasn't {i}pent up.{/b}"

    "Never know what that old woman has in store..."

    mct "(Sorry, Ian.)"

    mc "...!"

    "A tried and true favorite."

    "She hated me for no good reason... I always wanted to see what that stuck-up bitch's face would look like getting fucked in the ass."

    mct "(Gah, s-stupid cunt!)"

    "In my fantasies, my desires had free rein, without consequence."

    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

    mc "Hnngg...!"

    mc "......"

    mct "(...I should go clean up.)"

    "I {i}was{/i} free to do {b}some{/b} of the things I desired..."

    "........."

    "......"

    mc "..."

    mct "(I wonder what Kathleen has in store for us today.)"

    "Us...?"

    "It seemed I unconsciously included myself among the Carnations."

    "Was that good or bad?"

    "......"

    "..."

    "The walk to the club was dull and uneventful, my mind preoccupied with countless trivialities - just as it might for anyone else's daily commute."

    play music "music/that-one-bar-scene.ogg"

    "Once inside, I saw a pair of familiar faces and was greeted by the friendly smile of my co-worker."

    "The mundanity of it all was striking."

    "Dr. Van Doren's assistant stood at Jacob's post. My arrival had either interrupted their exchange or had tidily coincided with its conclusion."

    jacob "[mcf]!"

    mc "So... I've got a question."

    jacob "Do I look like a help desk to you?"

    mc "I've always wondered... you're posted way up here, so what happens if someone finds a way to wander in?"

    jacob "The cameras will send me an alert."

    mc "Oh, yeah... that makes sense."

    jacob "Doesn't ever really happen anyway. It's just floor after floor of unoccupied office space, after all."

    mc "Never?"

    jacob "Well, there was one time a homeless guy pried open a service door we forgot to latch in order to get out of the cold."

    mc "What did you do?"

    jacob "I sent him on his way with a cup of coffee. The man was just cold and this is just an empty office building, right?"

    mc "Right on."

    if w2ExEmmaFavor == "fulfilled":

        jacob "Actually, I'm glad to see you. I wanted to say thanks for getting Emma the night off."

            mc "Well, it wasn't quite a night off, but I did manage to get her away from the patrons thanks to Ian."

            mc "Hopefully, he didn't give her too hard of a time."

            jacob "She's dealt with worse."

            mc "It wasn't much; I just asked Dr. Chuck for a favor."

            jacob "It might not feel like much, but she and I appreciated it."

            mc "It wasn't quite the night off, but I managed to take her away from the patrons."

            jacob "Yeah, she explained your little ruse."

            mc "Plausible deniability."

            jacob "Heh, for sure."

        jacob "Anyway, I owe you one. If you ever need a favor, I'm your man, alright?"

        mc "Sure, I'll remember that."

        mct "(I can't imagine what kind of favor that would be, though...)"

    mc "So, Mrs. Pulman in her office?"

    jacob "Her words were to tell you to report to the photo studio. You know where to find it?"

    mc "Yep. Well-acquainted with it."

    mc "I should get down there."

    mc "Oh, by the way, is Dr. Van Doren here?"

    jacob "He isn't."

    mc "Oh... I've never seen Sophia without him."

    jacob "For the last couple of weeks, Dr. Lundgren has come alone often. Almost daily, actually."

    mc "Huh? What's she doing?"

    jacob "No idea. I guess she and Mrs. Pulman are friends?"

    mct "(I doubt they were social visits...)"

    mc "Yeah, that must be it."

    jacob "Fine-ass woman, isn't she?"

    mc "She's definitely beautiful."

    jacob "Nah, man. It's more than that."

    jacob "Every time she passes by, I feel like I'm a fuckin' teenager again with all the urges."

    mc "Ah, yeah... {b}it's the perfume{/b}. Try not to inhale it as much when she comes around."

    jacob "Perfume? Yeah, {b}right{/b}. I don't think it's that."

    mc "Juuuust give standing a couple more feet apart a try, alright? {b}Trust me.{/b}"

    mc "See you around, Jacob."

    jacob "Later man."

    "In the studio, I was greeted by another increasingly mundane sight. The Carnations were all here, wearing very little, but..."

    "{b}Scratch that.{/b}"

    play music "music/cello-suite-No-1-G-Major-Prelude.ogg"

    "The three dolled up in red leather was still a glorious sight."

    "Each woman wore a corset, intricately distinguished from your bog standard BDSM attire by a few strategically placed straps of leather that both obscured and accentuated their naughty bits."

    kat "[mcf], good, you're here."

    mc "I am... and here I thought I was pretty early, but the girls are already dressed."

    kat "Don't they look lovely?"

    "I left the question unanswered, as given the dull looks on their faces, a yes felt like it would be ostentatious."

    kat "{b}You are early{/b}, dear. Things still need to be fully prepared."

    kat "Warren's prepping the Obsidian Room, and we'll need to wait for Ian to start the shoot. Have you spoken to him today?"

    mc "I have not. Why?"

    kat "Considering his historic {i}tardiness{/i}, I tried calling him."

    mc "...no luck?"

    kat "You may be more fortunate."

        "I finally noticed the cattle prod in Mrs. Pulman's hands... a portent of what's to come, no doubt."

        "I finally noticed the cattle prod in Kathleen's hands... a portent of what's to come, no doubt."

    kat "We're not supposed to start for at least another thirty minutes, but it'd be nice to know if I can count on him today."

    mc "I'll give him a call."

    kat "Good!"

    play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

    "*Crack*"

    mc "Ah-- yyhhup-!!!"

        "A jolt of pain seared my core as a playful smile spread on Mrs. Pulman's face."

        "A jolt of pain seared my core as a playful smile spread on Kathleen's face."

    mc "Godda-- ah, what's the big-"

    kat "How's the intensity? Do you think it needs more juice?"

    mc "Gah..."

    "In the wake of the shock, the area she prodded was left with a slowly dissipating burning sensation."

    mc "Ah... ha... maybe I'm a pussy, but that fucking sucked."

    kat "I do appreciate your input, dear - {i}and the cute way you yelp.{/i}"

    mc "...I'll make the call now."

    kat "Please do-"

    kat "Ha! Don't be so jumpy!"

    play sound "sound effects/ringing-outbound.mp3"

    "*Ring, ring...*"

    "It was rare for Ian not to pick up on the first or second ring..."

    "*Ring, ring, ring...*"

    "Maybe he's..."

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

        kil "Ugh... y-yo...! D-doc!"

        play music "music/hotshot-slow.ogg"

        mc "You sound like shit."

        kil "I... guhh... I drank way too much last night."

        "Considering his tolerance... {b}that couldn't be an understatement.{/b}"

        mc "Taking the breakup that hard, eh?"

        kil "{b}No...!{/b} I just got a bit carried away fucking that old hag, that's all."

        alice "Ah, don't--"

        kil "Relax. He already knows."

        alice "..."

        kil "Say he--..."

        kil "Eughh...!"

        "I could hear Ian momentarily fight back a wretch from his end of the phone."

        kil "Say hello."

        alice "*Sigh*..."

        alice "Hi, [mcf]."

        mc "Ah..."

        "I wasn't expecting... this..."

        alice "...this is awkward, huh?"

        mc "Not really..."

        "That was a fucking lie."

        mc "{b}You're both adults{/b}... *Ahem*... how are you doing, Alice?"

        alice "Well, I'm about to..."

        kil "Alice... help me..."

        kil "...bacon-egg-cheese sandwich."

        mc "He's got you nursing his hangover?"

        alice "What else?"

        mc "He doesn't deserve it."

        alice "I'm gonna give the phone back now."

        mc "Sure. Good talking, Alice..."

        kil "Ughh... hey, dude..."

        mc "You're fucking shameless, you know that? Taking advantage of your nanny like that."

        kil "Hey...! She enjoys it! ...for some fuckin' reason."

        mc "You're not coming into work, are you?"

        kil "Aaaaaaaaaaaah.... {i}shiiiiiit{/i}."

        kil "Kathy's dumb photo shoots... right..."

        kil "...tell her I sounded like I'm dying? Through absolutely no fault of my own? Heh...?"

        mc "..."

        kil "You're not mad? You can point a camera and snap a few pictures."

        mc "It's not that. I'm upset I won't see my friend's smiling face today."

        kil "Yeah right, jackass!"

        mc "...I'll cover for you, I guess."

        kil "Yeah?"

        kil "Ughh... h-hey man..."

        play music "music/hotshot-slow.ogg"

        mc "You sound fucked up."

        kil "I am... drank a little too much last night."

        mc "A little?"

        kil "A little bit of a lot... h-heh... ugh..."

        mc "Taking the break up hard, eh?"

        kil "N-no... I just got carried away with... ah..."

        kil "Get off my arm, will you? It's fall--"

        mc "I got the picture."

        kil "Yeah?"

        mc "{b}Yeah{/b}. You're not coming into work today."

        "......"

        "..."

        kil "Aaaaaaaaaaaah.... {i}shiiiiiit{/i}."

        kil "Kathy's dumb photo shoots... right..."

        kil "...tell her I sounded like I'm dying? Through absolutely no fault of my own? Heh...?"

        mc "..."

        kil "You're not mad, are you?"

        mc "It's not that. I'm upset I won't see my friend's smiling face today."

        kil "Yeah right, jackass!"

        mc "...yeah, alright. I'll cover for you, I guess."

        kil "You will?"

    play sound "sound effects/record-scratch.wav"

    mc "{b}Yeeeeeeep.{/b}"

    "Sorry dude, the jig is already up."

    mc "I'll tell her you've got the crud going around right now."

    kil "Thanks, man... ugh..."

    mc "Talk to you later."

    kil "Ugh... think I'm actually going to pu-- bye!"

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    "*Beep*"

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/covert-affair.ogg"

    mc "...uhhh, he sounded pretty sick."

    kat "Was that a question mark at the end?"

    mc "No...?"

    kat "Well, no matter. You can fill in for his side of things."

    kat "You had ample experience last week."

    mc "I'm a professional by this point."

    kat "*Sigh* I SHOULD just stop relying on him altogether. It would simplify things."

        mc "Don't you think he adds a bit of charm to the proceedings?"

        kat "The only thing that scud adds is adequately pointing a camera."

        mc "He's got other redeeming qualities..."

        "You've got to say it more enthusiastically, [mcf]..."

        mc "These things happen."

        kat "Too often."

        "Well, whatever. Not like any of this is actual work..."

    play music "music/from-russia-with-love.ogg"

    kat "We are getting started early, girls. Please try and contain your excitement."

    ver "Greeeeeat."

    rose "Get started on what?"

    kat "This week's promotional material."

    fel "I hope it will be more fun than the previous one. Unfortunately, it was a little too much talking for my tastes."

    kat "Oh, have no fear, Mrs. Ford. This is {b}hell week{/b}."

    fel "......"

    ver "......"

    rose "..."

    ver "...okay?"

    kat "I know that doesn't mean much right now."

    kat "It doesn't need to. Your experiences during this exhibition will impart my meaning in a way words won't suffice."

    rose "Are you trying to scare us?"

    kat "Grab the camera, [mcf]."

    mc "On it."

        kat "We will play a brief game today and then move on to you three's punishment for failing to win week 2."

        kat "We will play a brief game today, then move on to Miss Lynch and Mrs. Ford's punishment for losing week 2."

        kat "We will play a brief game today, then move on to Mrs. Ford's punishment for losing week 2."

        kat "We will play a brief game today, then move on to Miss Lynch's punishment for losing week 2."

    kat "Both of which will be documented for our viewers' betting pleasure. So put on your best sad, miserable faces, girls."

    "..."

        "They looked primarily unperturbed by Mrs. Pulman's words - and in some ways, it WAS the same old same old, but..."

        "They looked primarily unperturbed by Kathleen's words - and in some ways, it WAS the same old same old, but... "

    kat "Get some good shots of their costumes before we begin."

    "Something about the cruel woman's newfound brevity waved a red flag."

    mc "Like last week? You want poses and...?"

    "Unusually amongst the three, only Felicia's face showed a degree of distinguishable concern."

    kat "Whatever you feel is appropriate. {b}Just keep it brief.{/b}"

    mc "Alright, girls. Let's, uh..."

    "With that missive in mind, I arranged a series of group shots. Shots that would hopefully be evocative of the Carnation's personality and--"

    play sound "sound effects/camera-phone-shutter.wav"

    "{i}I decided to take a series of group shots that were hot as hell.{/i} But, I mean, what else was there to do beyond following my boner here?"

    play sound "sound effects/camera-phone-shutter.wav"

    "I paired each of them off in every combination."

    play sound "sound effects/camera-phone-shutter.wav"

    mct "({i}Put your tits in her face!{/i} ...yeah.)"

    mct "(You're a goddamn {b}genius{/b}, [mcf].)"

    play sound "sound effects/camera-phone-shutter.wav"

    kat "That should be good enough."

    play music "music/epic-battle-speech.ogg"

    kat "The real meat of it is before us."

        "Part of me was a little disappointed that my fun was cut short. This aspect of the job stimulated the inner voyeur in me."

        "A trait Ian and I had in common, it seems..."

        "I was getting a taste for this aspect. Part of me was a little disappointed that my fun was cut short."

    kat "Oh, before we continue, I should christen this week with a more formal title."

    kat "Let's see... service... shame... {i}suffering{/i} maybe?"

    mc "I think \"hell week\" alone suffices. It has... {b}impact.{/b}"

    kat "You think?"

    "An honest, divorced thought slipped from my tongue as easily as if I were picking a team name for trivia night."

    mc "The patrons will respond to it. I'm sure of it."

    kat "What do you girls think?"

    "She looked at the Carnations as if awaiting their opinion on the branding."

    carnations "..."

    "Naturally, they didn't have shit to say about it."

    kat "Come on, you must have an opinion."

    kat "This month is all about YOU. Take an interest."

    fel "...it kinda lends a sense of anticipation, doesn't it?"

    kat "It's settled, then. Welcome to {b}hell{/b} week, girls."

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    fel "G-ahh, sh--"

    fel "Don't suddenly--"

    kat "All three of you: {b}on your knees.{/b}"

    fel "Gah...!"

    kat "{b}Hands behind your head.{/b}"

    kat "Come on now, don't dally."

    "I was starting to think this was the old woman's favorite position."

    kat "Grab the video camera on the table, [mcf]. Our patrons will appreciate some sound for this following sequence."

    ver "Which is...?"

        play music "music/epic-battle-speech.ogg"

    kat "I told you. You girls are going to play a game."

    kat "Starting at the lowest setting, I will use this on you."

    fel "Ah, goddamn it..."

    kat "If you find it unpleasant, you only need to say... I don't know... \'switch\' and you'll earn a reprieve. I will change my target to the next person in line."

    kat "However, just so you know, if it loops back to you... I go up a setting. {b}There's five{/b}."

    kat "This is only a prelude to the main event, so we needn't drag this on. The game will last only five minutes."

    kat "Try to endure instead of selfishly passing your misery onto your neighbor."

    ver "What's the upside to this?"

    kat "What do you mean {i}upside{/i}?"

    ver "You usually attach some strings to these things. Last week, during our photoshoots, there was an advantage at stake."

    kat "You're asking what makes this worth your while?"

    kat "Doesn't that go without saying?"

    kat "Our \"contract\" is void if you don't perform satisfactorily."

    ver "Sounds like you could pull the rug out from underneath us whenever you want."

    kat "This isn't a bank. We're all in the honor system, Miss Lynch."

    ver "Exactly. Just saying... it wouldn't hurt to have an immediate incentive."

    kat "You ballsy bitch. You're two weeks into this thing and you're getting ideas, huh?"

    ver "Maybe I just don't feel like being shocked today after that shit you pulled with the spider. Calling my dad was off limits!"

    kat "Limits...? {b}Limits?!{/b}"

    ver "The way I see it, you need us to put on a good show. Not nearly as much as we need you clearly, but enough that--"

    "This was the same talk she brought up during our group lunch..."

    kat "*Sigh* I was hoping to have successfully taught you just how small and pathetic you really were, but now you're threatening me with an ultimatum?"

    "It didn't seem like a good idea then, and the enraged look on the boss' face didn't make it sound like a good idea now."

    kat "Come to think of it, on the subject of putting on a good show, replacing you would be a good bit of drama for the halfway mark."

    kat "I can understand if you decide your business isn't worth further degrading yourself."

    ver "..."

    kat "In fact, it'd be the first thing you did that made me feel an ounce of respect for you."

    ver "..."

    "Veronica looked to either of her compatriots for help, but to no avail."

    "All sense of leverage she thought she had was immediately uprooted when she realized neither Rosalind nor Felicia was on her side."

    kat "If you want, this can all be for naught. We can split amicably, although I caution you about getting overly emotional. If need be..."

    mct "(I didn't believe that for one fucking second.)"

    kat "I can {b}ruin{/b} you, Veronica."

    "Now, {b}that{/b} one, I did believe."

    ver "..."

    kat "Assume the position, Miss Lynch."

    ver "..."

    kat "Perfect! Now--"

    kat "Now that is settled... let us..."

    kat "Oh, dear... I forgot."

    kat "Hold that position, girls. I'll be right back."

    mc "Ah..."

    fel "......"

    ver "......"

    rose "..."

    play music "music/too-cool.ogg"

    mc "So, uh... how are you three doing? Have a nice weekend?"

    ver "Oh, yeah. Real fuckin' chipper. Can't you tell?"

    rose "She said to hold the position..."

    ver "Save yourself some discomfort."

    fel "...*sigh* the camera is rolling."

    ver "What's your point? She isn't going any easier on us than she plans to."

    rose "Do you think this is going to hurt?"

    "Felicia alone held the position."

    mc "It hurts, but nothing too bad."

    fel "It {b}fucking{/b} hurts."

    rose "Oh..."

    fel "Which end do you think she's going to start with?"

    ver "Definitely you. You put a target on your back last week."

    fel "Did I?"

    ver "Gah. I bet the bitch didn't even need to make a call. This is some mind-game shit."

    rose "Maybe..."

    rose "Old people are pretty forgetful."

    fel "All I'm saying is, let's play this smart, alright? This is a classic prisoner's dilemma."

    fel "We just need to bite our tongues for 100 seconds each, spread across maybe a couple of rounds. That'd be easiest for all of us."

    rose "Heh. I'll try my best."

    rose "I can be skittish when it comes to..."

    fel "..."

    ver "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth, Blondie."

    ver "Every week, I see smart people who lack the willpower to endure the pain of even a little exercise."

    fel "What's your point, Red?"

    ver "My point is planning for this dumb game is setting yourself up for disappointment when you realize you don't have what it takes to see it through."

    fel "For a bitch whose job is self-improvement, you sure are fatalistic."

    ver "...I'm not saying {i}I'm{/i} the one who won't be able to endure it. Myself... I'll do my best to cut you a break."

    fel "...*sigh* I guess we'll see how this goes, huh?"

    ver "Besides, where did the crazy bluster you had on stage go? You were acting pretty damn invincible."

    fel "Well, in the moment, two dozen eyes on you can have an intoxicating effect."

    fel "It's spending the following Sunday nursing the after-effects of having a sharp triangle shoved up your cooch that has a girl angling to play the next day a little more prudently."

    ver "Hmmpfh. So you CAN bleed."

    rose "That's good to know."

    fel "Gah, that's not the takeaway I was looking for here."

        "From where I stood, even if she wasn't employing one, Mrs. Pulman's mind game was a rousing success."

        "From where I stood, even if she wasn't employing one, Mrs. Kathleen's mind game was a rousing success."

    "The Carnations fell into a collective silence, their expressions more scrutable than before."

    "A few minutes passed, and then..."

    kat "Alright. My apologies, now we can--"

    kat "I thought I told you bitches to hold your position?"

    play music "music/hypnosis.ogg"

    kat "What the hell is it with people today? Can't anyone do what they're fucking told?"

    play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

    rose "G-ggguuu That-"

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    "*Tceeeek!*"

    rose "A-aah...!"

    "The game's beginning was heralded by the oppressive sound of electricity jumping from the wand's barbs and tailing off into a short yet painfully sharp yelp."

    rose "Ow, g-gah...! Tha- sthin-..."

    kat "{b}Remember{/b}, you may switch whenever you please."

    rose "Hnng..."

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    "*Thiiick~!*"

    rose "W-whwhaaa...!"

        "Mrs. Pulman seemed to be playing for keeps, determined to get the MILF to quickly swap by targeting the sensitive gap between Rosalind's ribs."

        "Kathleen seemed to be playing for keeps, determined to get the MILF to quickly swap by targeting the sensitive gap between Rosalind's ribs."

    rose "Unggh... fwwh--"

    rose "-wahhha...?!"

    "A shockless touch drew an anticipatory flinch from her fat-tittied target."

        "The game had barely begun, and I could already see Mrs. Pulman's plan: keep an unsteady rhythm to the shocks and wield the Carnation's resulting anticipation as a weapon."

        "The game had barely begun, and I could already see Kathleen's plan: keep an unsteady rhythm to the shocks and wield the Carnation's resulting anticipation as a weapon."

    kat "No...?"

    "As visual punctuation for the camera's benefit, she toyed and physically prodded Rosalind's breast, letting the anticipation grow thick before--"

    play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

    rose "G-eehh, s-switch...!"

    "Attacking a different target altogether."

    fel "Ah, crap... already?!"

    rose "W-wait, I mean..."

    "Rather than being at her limit, it seemed Rosalind had blurted the words out of surprise, but it was too late. She had already passed the buck."

    kat "Looks like it's your turn, Miss Lynch."

    kat "Mmmh... hmm~ hmm~ hmm~ Veronica... ah..."

    "Mrs. Pulman's voice adopted an atypical, girlish lilt."

    kat "A body like yours... was made to be put on its knees like this."

    ver "..."

        "Veronica didn't say anything, most likely content with letting Mrs. Pulman run down the clock syllable by syllable."

        "Veronica didn't say anything, most likely content with letting Kathleen run down the clock syllable by syllable."

    kat "You can take a lot without breaking, can't you?"

    "But if anyone was more keenly aware of the time than the Carnations, it would be the old woman. This was her dance, and every pause was a deliberate step for our unseen audience."

    kat "I bet you think you'll be the star of round 1~ that you'll hold out magnificently and show the other Carnations just..."

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    ver "Tsk...!"

    kat "...how. Tough. You. Are."

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    "*Tchwiick!*"

    ver "Hnngg..."

    "Two short shocks, delivered in quick succession to the tender skin of Veronica's armpit..."

    play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

    "*Zhhhiip!*"

    ver "Hnngg...!"

    "Three..."

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    "*Zhaaaaap!"

    "Four..."

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    ver "Ahh, hhnngg-!"

    kat "Hmmmm, no doubt~ you really are a tough cookie, slut."

    kat "Open your mouth and stick out your pretty pink tongue, please."

    "Veronica naturally hesitated."

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    "*Thwiiiick!*"

    kat "Show me your tongue!"

    ver "G-gahh...!"

    kat "{b}Lick it{/b}."

    ver "..."

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    "*Zaaaaap*!"

    "For added effect, she shocked the air, urging Veronica's compliance."

    kat "Ah, that's right..."

    "I waited for the shoe to drop."

    kat "That's a good bitch..."

    "A shock delivered to the tongue would hurt like a bitch..."

    kat "...but don't think I've forgotten..."

    "It didn't come, however. Instead..."

    play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

    "*Zap*"

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    "*Za, zap!*"

    play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

    "*Za, thwack, craaaaack!*"

    ver "Gghhhuuu, ah {b}s-son of a bitch..!{/b}"

    "Another fake out in favor of a critical hit on the spot she had been working on."

    ver "Switch!"

        "Despite the Amazon's earlier claims, Mrs. Pulman had made short, skillful work of her."

        "Despite the Amazon's earlier claims, Kathleen had made short, skillful work of her."

    fel "Ah, fuck..."

    "She had barely lasted longer than Rosalind."

    kat "You're nothing, Miss Lynch. Absolutely nothing."

    kat "How many times do I have to prove that? Now, get your arms back up or it won't count~"

    kat "Now, Mrs. Ford... our industrious, hard-working gold-digging bitch~ whore~ slut~"

    fel "Ah... you're really enjoying this--"

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    fel "G-gaaah....!"

    play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

    fel "Tsk...! Hnngg..."

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    fel "W-wuuuah, {b}switch!{/b}"

    kat "Huh...? I..."

        "Both the other Carnations and Mrs. Pulman herself looked dumbfounded at Felicia's quick submission."

        "Both the other Carnations and Kathleen herself looked dumbfounded at Felicia's quick submission."

    ver "You got to be kidding me..."

    "The quickest of any of them."

    kat "{i}Interesting{/i}. After your showing Saturday, I was expecting you to hold out much longer."

    fel "It fucking hurts!"

    ver "No shit! And now it's going to--"

    play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

    rose "Y-yyyeee!"

    "The round began anew, this time on the second setting."

    "This one went about as quick."

    "Rosalind lasted about the same."

    play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

    "Veronica valiantly held out longer than previously."

    fel "S-switch!"

    "...and Felicia once again folded to a couple of shocks."

    rose "Again?!"

    "It made sense. Felicia was a hedonist, not a masochist. This game, divorced from physical, sexual gratification or even the arousal of having many men view her naked body, didn't suit her."

    rose "After all your talk about playing this smart?!"

    "Rosalind, next up on the chopping block, was uncharacteristically pissed."

    fel "I'd be more motivated if you two didn't fold in twenty seconds!"

    ver "It's better than 5!"

    play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

    "*Tchhiiiik!*"

    rose "Hnngg...! S-switch!"

    "Everyone quickly folded from there."

    "To her credit, Veronica lasted longer in the third round but quickly gave up in the fourth."

    fel "Switch!"

    kat "Did you really just try that, Mrs. Ford?  I have yet to even shock you."

    fel "Hehehe... well... worth a fuckin' shot, right?"

    "Of all of them, Felicia proved to be the weakest link."

    kat "Get back into position!"

    "With just under two minutes to spare, the Carnations were already facing down round 5 and the highest setting."

    kat "Somehow, you girls managed to subvert even my low expectations. I didn't believe we'd get past round 3."

    rose "Hnngg...?"

    kat "Hmmm..."

    kat "..."

    kat "Get some POV shots of you doing it."

    "......"

    "..."

    kat "[mcf]?"

    "By this point, I had practically melded with the video camera. After that, I hadn't a thought in my head."

    "It took me a moment to even register that the old woman was talking to me as {i}a person{/i}."

    mc "...what about the time?"

    kat "Time's ticking, but since there's no point in switching anymore, let's say they each get three, and then we'll move on to the {b}fun{/b} part."

    rose "Hehehe.. he... this... wasn't the fun part?"

    mc "...s'okay."

    "It's not like me or her doing it really made a difference here."

    play music "music/unsafe-roads.ogg"

    "At least, that is what I told myself as I felt a sickeningly sweet knot form in my stomach."

    "This baby was on the menu during Felicia's leg of the last exhibition, but I had purposefully avoided using it. If not for the gold digger's sake, then my own."

        "I knew it would rival the feeling I got from torturing Harper."

        "Just the very thought of using this thing enflamed my urges."

        "First, give yourself a test shock.":

            "This will look stupid, but in my mind, it was a matter of utmost prudence. It was my opinion that if you're going to inflict pain on someone for either of your gratifications..."

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            mc "Hnngg...!"

            "...the person who inflicted it should try it themselves."

            mct "(Ah, that was...)"

            "The first shock confirmed what I had suspected by watching: knowing the precise time it was coming lessened the effect of the shock."

            "Mind you, it still hurt like hell. At this setting, a horrible pinch immediately robbed me of whole seconds of my breath from me."

            mct "(Again...!)"

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            mc "Huuung--!"

            "On top of that, the place the barb made contact left a burning sensation that persisted, grew, and ached with time."

            mct "(One more...)"

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            mc "Ah, ha-haak...!"

            mct "(Fuck, that hhh...!)"

            "It was unpleasant, but it wasn't unbearable."

            kat "Was that meant to be a show of solidarity?"

            "There were clearly things I could do to exacerbate or mitigate the effect."

            mc "I was just curious."

            mc "Let's get on with it."

        "Just get straight to it.":

            mc "Let's get on with it."

    "Rosalind looked up at me with a peculiar glint in her eye."

    "It read one part apprehensive, 2 parts get this the fuck over with..."

        "Get it over with.":

            mc "Stand up."

            mc "I'm going on three."

            mc "One... two..."

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            rose "Hnngg, ah...!"

            "I made a point to target the least sensitive part of the body, the trunk."

            mc "One, two..."

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            rose "G-gahhh...!"

            "Going again immediately after the first shock might've seemed like I was being rough. Still, I truly believed the anticipation was a multiplying factor. "

            mc "One, two..."

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            rose "F-fhhhh, shit--"

            mc "{b}All done{/b}, Rose."

            mc "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

            rose "Actually..."

            rose "I guess not?"

            kat "Veronica is waiting, Mr. [mcl] - and put a little more pizzazz in it this time, please."

        "Put your all into it.":

            mc "On your feet."

            mc "On your heels. Back straight."

            "This was my job."

            "{i}A convenient excuse for doing what I wanted to do anyway.{/i}"

                mc "Push those sloppy tits of yours together, whore."

                mc "Push your tits together. Make it look good."

            rose "Yes, sir..."

            mc "I didn't tell you to speak. The only sound I want you to make..."

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            rose "Gyeee--!"

            "Rosalind had sensitive breasts. In choosing my target, this was a fact I was well aware of."

            rose "Hnngg, f-fuck!"

            mc "That's one..."

            mc "How many are left, Rose?"

            rose "T-two... h-ha..."

            rose "Two mor--"

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            rose "Morooorewwwa{b}SHIT-!!!{/b}"

            mc "One more - {i}can't you count?{/i}"

            rose "Euughh...! Just get it over with!"

            "She was giving me the same pissed-off look she was giving Felicia earlier. A look that filled me with a conflicting sense of..."

                mct "(This is what Mrs. Pulman chases in her shows, right?)"

                mct "(This is what the old woman chases in her shows, right?)"

            rose "..."

            "Almost instinctively, I had reached out and tenderly pawed at the tender stretch of tit-flesh I had targeted."

            rose "Hnnggg..."

            mc "Alright, but give the camera your best expression. You ready?"

            rose "Yeah... go ahead..."

            rose "Euuggh- ah..."

            "Her face twisted in anticipation of what didn't come."

            rose "Hnnggg..."

            mc "Count to 3."

            rose "Three--"

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            rose "Fh, hhhuu-- {b}goddamn it!{/b}"

            mc "Hehe... you should've seen that one coming."

            rose "{b}Should I?!{/b}"

            mc "Well... there was precedent."

            mc "Just... keep your eyes on the prize, Rose."

            rose "Right..."

            kat "Cover back up, Mrs. Carter."

            kat "Veronica is waiting, Mr. [mcl]."

    mc "Yes, Ma'am."

        mc "Hey, Ronnie."

        "She gave me an unusual smile."

        ver "Hey, bones."

        mc "Hey, Veronica."

        ver "Hey, yourself."

    ver "Well, what are you waiting for?"

    mc "..."

        "Veronica had previously encouraged me to not go easy on her but that WAS a different time and place..."

        "Veronica had previously encouraged me to not go easy on her but that WAS a different time and place..."

        "Don't go easy on her.":

            mc "What do you think you're doing? Dogs don't look humans in the eyes."

            mc "{b}Avert your gaze.{/b}"

            "Since I was told it was such a hit, but mostly because I just enjoyed the dynamic, I decided to harken back to last week's promo."

            ver "..."

            mc "That's better."

                "This probably seemed contrary to all my talk of friendship, but I think she understood we were each playing the role we chose."

                mct "(At least, I hope she did...)"

            mc "Now, on your arches. Hands like a begging puppy dog."

            "I would've thought being repeatedly shocked would've put her more on edge than that, but thankfully she painlessly complied with my extraneous demand with only a {i}mildly{/i} annoyed look on her face."

            ver "Let me guess... you want me to beg for it?"

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            ver "{b}Eeuugn{/b}-!"

            ver "Ddd--"

            "I deliberately chose that unsteady position for a reason."

            play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

            ver "{b}Damn it!{/b}"

            "...and as expected, the recoil from being shocked caused the Amazon to lose her footing."

            ver "The neck? Really--"

            play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

            mc "Down, girl."

            mct "(Ah, shit...)"

            "It's gratifying when the plan in your head takes the physical form exactly as you imagined."

            ver "...g-gah, w-why didn't we just start like this then?"

            "I had the large woman pinned under my heel, my cock instantly growing hard from the unearned feeling of power I held over her."

                "For all my talk of friendship, this seemed contrary indeed..."

            "I could feel myself slipping."

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            "*{b}Zhhiiiaaap!*{/b}"

            ver "Hnngg, ghgg--"

            mc "You know why."

            "For added emphasis, I pushed down harder and ground the redhead's breast beneath my foot, delighting in the feeling of resistance as her diaphragm struggled to adapt to my weight."

            mc "If the {i}shoe{/i} was on the other foot..."

            ver "Y-yeahh, yeah... I'd stick it up your ass."

            ver "-- -ah, hehe... maybe I shouldn't have given you ideas, huh?"

            mc "Get up."

            ver "Up, down... up, down--"

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            ver "{b}Ghhhuuhuh...!{/b}"

            play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

            mc "That's three."

            mc "Sorry, I went a little overboard."

            ver "..."

                ver "Thanks."

                    ver "It wasn't so bad."

                    ver "Can't help but notice that you went easier on one of us..."

                    ver "It wasn't so bad."

                    ver "Can't help but notice that you went easier on one of us..."

            kat "Marvelous, [mcf]. You're a natural!"

        "Conclude this quickly.":

            mc "Stand up and touch your toes."

            ver "...you gotta work on your pick-up lines."

            "An ass as large as Veronica's offered the best of both worlds."

                "It would look great for the camera while offering a relatively less painful target due to the sheer amount of fat and muscle."

                "It would add the bit of \"pizzazz\" the old woman instructed me to while offering a relatively less painful target due to the sheer amount of fat and muscle."

            ver "Well, let me fucking have it, eh?"

            "Instead of a countdown, I let her know it was coming with a slight touch."

            mc "Ready?"

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            ver "Ye--"

            "One."

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            "{b}*Thiiiik!*{/b}"

            "Two."

            mc "One more..."

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            ver "{b}G-gahh!{/b}"

            "Oops, that one was a bit TOO close to her, uh..."

                rose "Hnng. She had it easier..."

                kat "Not quite the added sauce I was hoping for, but..."

    kat "Move onto Mrs. Ford, will you?"

    mc "Yes, Ma'am."

    kat "Oh... [mcf]?"

    kat "Come here!"

        kat "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"

        mc "I'm doing my job."

        kat "Uh huh. Then why are you smiling right now?"

        mc "If it's going to be done, I might as well--"

        kat "You don't need to explain yourself to me. I just wanted to tell you..."

        kat "Let that Felicia cunt REALLY have it. Consider it an {b}order{/b}."

        mc "..."

        "I didn't quite know what that meant..."

        kat "I {b}order you{/b} to go all out on Mrs. Ford."

        kat "I'd love to see it, you understand?"

        mct "(...all out?)"

    mc "...understood."

    fel "...ah, what's with that intense look on your face?"

    mc "Just thinking for a second."

    fel "If it's {i}just thinking{/i}, don't be so ominous! Damn!"

    mc "......"

    mc "..."

    fel "What are you--"

    mc "--{b}got it!{/b}"

    fel "{b}Huh--?{/b}"

    "With perhaps more force than I meant to, I grabbed Felicia by her ponytail and yanked her head back, forcing us to see eye-to-eye."

    "In this way, there'd be no mistaking it. I could convey my intentions and show Felicia where my head was at."

        mc "You know, it seems you have a target on your back. Mrs. Pulman ordered you to get the worst of it, so..."

        mc "You know, it seems you have a target on your back. Kathleen ordered you to get the worst of it, so..."

        "Be cruel and COMMIT FULLY to your assigned role.":

            mc "Apologies in advance. She was rather {b}emphatic{/b} about it."

            "I might be able to fool the camera, but I wouldn't fool the old woman. Felicia, of all people, surely understood getting your hands dirty to preserve your meal ticket."

            fel "Hnng, {i}great{/i}."

            mc "Ready?"

            fel "As I'll ever be--"

            mc "{b}You fuckin' sow{/b}... ahh~!"

            play sound "sound effects/spit2.wav"

            mc "*Fweee!*"

            "Instinctually, Felicia looked pissed. Anyone would."

            fel "Grr, f-fuck you!"

            "After all, spitting on someone was practically a {i}primal{/i} form of disrespect."

            mc "Damn, that's a good look..."

                "That's twice in the past three days that I spit on the gold digging blonde... {b}shit{/b}, {i}was this going to be a new thing with me or what?{/i}"

            "A sickening feeling flooded my stomach, telling me to push it further."

            fel "W-wah..!"

            play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

            mc "Crawl to the couch, pig."

            "With the exact amount of enthusiasm I intended, I tossed Felicia to the ground and barked my order."

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            "*Zhhiiiiiack!*"

            mc "Hurry the fuck up!"

            fel "F-hwwha, j-Jesus Christ! I am!"

            "Along the way, I captured the hypnotic way her ass danced as she crawled on all fours. Relishing, not quite so secretly, the sight of the rich blonde on her knees."

            fel "Hnngg..."

            mc "The sow has a nice piggy-cunt."

            fel "S-stop dragging this out."

            mc "..."

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            fel "G-gah...!"

            mc "That one doesn't count. Spread your legs."

            fel "What the hell do you mean it doesn't count?!"

            mc "Did that count, Mrs. Pulman?"

            kat "I don't think you made clean contact. You still got two."

            fel "This is bullshit!"

            kat "It's what you signed up for, Mrs. Ford."

            fel "Hnggg..."

            mc "Spread your legs."

            fel "You're enjoying this too much!"

            mc "Tits out."

            fel "*Sigh* Fair enough."

            mc "You look beautiful, Felicia."

            fel "Yeah, I fuckin--"

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            fel "Hnnng, s-shit....!"

            mc "Dumb bitch."

            mc "That one didn't count ei--"

            fel "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

            kat "It didn't count."

            fel "Hnnng...! What the HELL is sexy about this?"

            kat "Do you want to quit?"

            fel "Of course not!"

            kat "Then it didn't count."

            fel "...{b}can't help but notice the disparity between my turn and the others here!{/b}"

            "......"

            "..."

            fel "Please... this isn't fucking fair. Two more... l-let them count?"

            "I don't know if the pitiful look on her face was genuine right now or if she was trying to manipulate me, but her expression..."

                "It shamefully excited me even more."

                mc "Okay, {b}two more{/b}."

                "It made me feel like a real prick."

                mc "Okay, {b}two more{/b}."

            mc "You gotta make them count, though. So show your camera your best expression."

            fel "*Gulp* Got it..."

            fel "Go ahead."

            mc "Good girl..."

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            mc "One...!"

            fel "H-hhhaaa...! HNngng... uuuhhh..."

            fel "T-two...! Give me number two, you bast--"

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            fel "Huuunngghh-!"

            mc "Now for number thr--"

            fel "W-whn, wait, what?"

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            fel "HNngguguuuuhgghh.....!"

            mc "Huh..."

            "The last surprise shock caused the disheveled housewife to piss herself a little."

            fel "F-fuck...! Goddamn it-! Ah...!"

            mc "..."

            fel "{b}You f-fuckin' jerk!{/b} Hnngg...!"

            ver "Holy shit..."

            rose "Huh... that's..."

            mc "Was that to your satisfaction, Mrs. Pulman?"

            kat "Was that to my...?"

            play music "music/together-with-you.ogg"

            kat "{b}That was beautiful!{/b}!"

            kat "I knew you had it in you..."

            mc "I only did what you asked..."

            kat "We gotta work on your modesty, but..."

            "Her eyes wandered down to my bulging crotch."

            kat "...only in certain areas."

            mc "What's next?"

            kat "For you? Go to the bar and kill some time for half an hour. I'll retrieve you when I need you."

            "So that was that, huh?"

        "Be plausibly rough, but level and work with Felicia.":

            "-- a wink. One that I hoped read, \"trust me\" rather than I'm about to sneeze."

            mc "*Whisper* Work with me a little here, eh?"

            "In a way, we were both on the hook here, but Felicia didn't have the luxury of being an active participant. That meant the onus was on me to deliver us to the end of this asinine game."

            "........."

            "......"

            fel "...what are you waiting for?"

            "Directing her with my own eyes, I said..."

            mc "Now... {i}piggie{/i}..."

            mc "...*whisper* brace yourself."

            fel "W-wah..."

            mc "Crawl to the fuckin' couch."

            "With the exact amount of enthusiasm I intended, I threw Felicia off balance and barked my order."

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            mc "Hurry up!"

            fel "G-ghh...!"

            "That was number {b}one{/b}, delivered as just one aspect of a flurry of activity that Felicia had no time to dwell on."

            fel "I'm going, I'm go--"

            "Along the way, I captured the hypnotic way her ass danced as she crawled on all fours, secretly relishing the sight of the rich blonde on her knees."

            fel "Hnngg... what are you doing?"

            mc "I'm documenting your body, but you shouldn't focus on what I'm doing now."

            fel "Yeah...? What should I be...?"

            mc "Spread your legs."

            fel "..."

            "She did as I asked, granting me further access down the long stretch of her toned legs."

            mc "*Whisper* Lotta people are going to see this. Which Felicia are you going to show them?"

            fel "..."

            "She understood my words. This setup might seem cold and clinical, but she did have an audience - that held some meaning to Felicia, didn't it?"

            mc "*Whisper* Just two shocks in just as many settings. You've done more unpleasant things, right?"

            mc "I mean, this has got to be more palatable than half the fat old bastards you've fucked. Am I wrong?"

            "This part, I said loud enough for the old woman to hear."

            fel "Oh, fuck you, asshole!"

            mc "Yeah, yeah... Get your disgusting tits out, you sow."

            fel "Fair enough."

            fel "Is this--"

            play sound "sound effects/shock4.wav"

            fel "G-hhggg...! D-damn it!"

            "I aimed at a pretty tender area, but it wasn't the worst."

            mc "You got one more. Let's make it count."

            fel "What do you...?"

            "I did my best to gesture back to where Kat was."

            "One more. {b}Make it count.{/b}"

            "Then it would be over."

            fel "Heh... ah... s-shit..."

            fel "Bah! Go ahead!"

            "As a man, I couldn't imagine how this might feel, but Felicia had her game face on, and it should satisfy the old woman at the least."

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            fel "Ghh, ahhhoowowowow--"

            fel "WHYDIDISAY--"

            fel "Ah... {i}that's three...{/i}"

            mc "Yep. All done."

            mc "Was that to your satisfaction, Mrs. Pulman?"

            kat "......"

            play music "music/together-with-you.ogg"

            kat "...good enough, I suppose. *Sigh* You didn't quite get that look about you I was hoping for."

            mc "Wasn't this about Felicia?"

            kat "It's all connected..."

            "She looked through me in a way that stopped me from asking further questions. The fact THAT wasn't rough enough to satisfy her was telling..."

            mc "What's next?"

            kat "For you? Go to the bar and kill some time for half an hour. I'll retrieve you when I need you."

            "So that was that, huh?"

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    kat "...and for them? I've got to get them set up and hooked in for the punishment game."

    rose "Ummm, hooked in?"

        kat "Yep. All three of you are going to have some fun."

        kat "Well, Miss Lynch and Mrs. Ford, at least. Rosie, you'll take a more {i}active role.{/i}"

        kat "Well, Mrs. Ford at least. You and Miss Lynch will take a more... {i}active{/i} role."

        kat "Well, Miss Lynch at least. You and Mrs. Ford will take a more... {i}active{/i} role."

    ver "Looking forward to it..."

    kat "Before you go... do you want to hear something amusing?"

    mct "(This will be good...)"

    kat "This thing doesn't even have multiple settings. It's all one power!"

    mc "Huh... I did wonder about that."

    "The only button that I noticed was the trigger."

    mc "That's... that's actually kinda funny. It still stung like hell, though."

    kat "True, but never more or less. Isn't the power of suggestion a wonderful thing?"

    mc "Yeah, thanks for the teaching moment..."

    "Suddenly, an intrusive thought took root in my brain. I wanted to..."

        "Shock Mrs. Pulman.":

            kat "Now, why don't you--"

            play sound "sound effects/shock5.wav"

            kat "G-gh...! Y-you...!"

            "Without a second thought, I did just that."

            kat "You've wanted to do that since before the phone call, haven't you?"

            kat "Well... fair's fair. {b}I guess{/b}."

            "......"

            "..."

            kat "Now... why don't you get your ass to the bar and give that fanatical slut some company while you wait?"

            mc "Um... who?"

            kat "Sorry. I mean... {b}Miss Lundgren{/b}. That's just my pet name for her."

            mc "Seems like you two are excellent friends."

            kat "Go now."

            mc "Yes, Ma'am."

        "Ignore it.":

            kat "Now, why don't you go ahead and wait at the bar? While you're there, you can give Miss Lundgren company."

            mc "Yes, Ma'am."

            kat "Good boy."

    "Even here, the worst part of any job is standing around waiting."

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    play music "music/air-on-g.ogg"

    "The moment I entered the bar, Sophia's eyes were upon me."

    sophia "Say... what do you have to do to get some service in this place?"

    mc "Be the change you want to see in the world. Pour me a glass of water, babe."

    sophia "...was that a joke?"

    mc "...it was a joke, yes."

    sophia "Hmmm..."

    sophia "It wasn't very humorous."

    mc "No, it really wasn't. You got any funny--"

    sophia "......"

    sophia "...okay, stop me if you've heard this one."

    "Well, {b}shit{/b}. I didn't expect that answer, especially not from her."

    mc "S'alright..."

    "That's the first time anyone's ever called my bluff on that line..."

    mct "(This should be good.)"

    sophia "A man walks into a bar and sees two large pieces of meat hanging from the ceiling. Naturally he's confused."

    sophia "So he asks the bartender, pointedly, {i}what the hell is with the meat, Jim?{/i} - ah, Jim... that's the bartender's name by the way."

    mc "I... {b}got it{/b}."

    sophia "The bartender tells him {i}it's a game I like to play. I bet everyone who comes in here $20 they can't pull one of them down. Care to try?{/i}"

    sophia "The man pauses a moment, giving it some serious thought, before finally answering..."

    sophia "{b}No.{/b} The {i}STEAKS{/i} are too high."

    mc "........."

    mc "......"

    "She looked at me expectantly, confidently awaiting a laugh."

    mc "...oh, yeah. I get it."

    sophia "Your sense of humor must be off. Abel chuckled at that one."

    mc "Did he...?"

    mc "Well, never tell a pun to a kleptomaniac.... they're always taking things {i}literally.{/i}"

    sophia "Hmmm..."

    sophia "...that's a pretty good one."

    mct "(No, it fucking wasn't...)"

    mc "Feel free to use it on Dr. Van Doren if you want."

    "Ah... this was a bizarre way to start a conversation..."

    sophia "Let's talk on the couch."

    mc "I... no, thank you. I'd like to leave room for Jesus, if you know what I mean."

    sophia "Are you always this reserved around women?"

    mc "Only the women prone to chemically dosing me into a stupor. Do you always wear that perfume wherever you go?"

    sophia "Only sometimes. Just whenever it doesn't represent a problem."

    mc "What is it, field testing?"

    sophia "Oh, no. That would be... {b}absurd.{/b}"

    sophia "Chemistry is a discipline. It's rigid and controlled; this is..."

    sophia "Just a bit of chaos."

    sophia "{b}Come.{/b} Sit with me on the couch. I know you have some time to kill."

    mc "Ah, shit..."

    "Guess the reason Mrs. Pulman pointed me this way for the interim was to babysit..."

    "I could already feel Sophia's \"just a bit of chaos\" work its way into my system, my skin growing flush as the already captivating beauty and her tendered hand made the turn to outright magnetic."

        "Take her hand.":

            mc "Alright. Turning you down twice would be rude."

            "Part of my job was to kiss up to the club's constituents, and silver lining, this would at least be an exercise in control. I was positive this wouldn't be my last time around Sophia's bewitching concoction."

            sophia "Ah!"

            sophia "--{i}to make enemies by unnecessary and willful incivility is just as insane a proceeding as to set your house on fire. For politeness is like a counter--an avowedly false coin, with which it is foolish to be stingy.{/i}"

            mc "Huh, no... I wasn't... uh, who said that?"

            sophia "I... don't know who said it originally, but it's a maxim imparted to me by Abel."

            mc "I see... well, for the record... is everything you do Machiavellian?"

            sophia "--{i}a prince must want to have a reputation for compassion rather than for cruelty: nonetheless, he must be careful that he does not make bad use of compassion.{/i}"

            mc "I'm... starting to think I should turn you down, Miss Lundgren."

            sophia "No taksie backsies, [mcf]."

            "I was fast gathering that Sophia was an odd woman, but maybe that was just the mark of a genius."

            mc "So, you must be an amazing chemist."

            "...and even if it wasn't, \"odd\" was just as quickly losing meaning as a qualifier within these walls."

        "Ignore her and lead the way to the sofa.":

            mc "Sure. Let's sit down."

            "Schmoozing the club's constituents was part of the job and one I accepted, but the way my body rebelled under the effects of Sophia's bewitching concoction simply left a bad taste in my mouth. "

            sophia "..."

            "Still, this woman was a certified genius. It wouldn't be such bad company - ah, gah... I couldn't even be sure if those were my own thoughts!"

            mc "So, you must be an amazing chemist."

            "The quality of her company withstanding, I trusted that aspect of my thoughts."

    sophia "No, not at all. Amazing is a strong word."

    mc "How old are you and don't give me never ask a woman her--"

    sophia "Thirty-one."

    mc "Considering your position at Waller Scientific, that is amazing."

    sophia "No, no... a man like Herr Krüger was worthy of being called an amazing chemist. Me...?"

    "Again she refuted me. She must be incredibly humbl--"

    sophia "I am... {i}simply{/i} the best."

    "{b}Nevermind.{/b}"

    mc "...that you know of?"

    sophia "I was precise with my words."

    "The oddest thing was I detected not a single iota of pride or hubris in that statement. It was as if Sophia was telling me the sky was blue."

    mc "Herr Krüger was a mentor, I presume?"

    sophia "Among many other things."

    mc "...and did you always want to be a chemist?"

    sophia "Are you conducting an interview, Mr. [mcl]?"

    mc "Just call me [mcf]. Please. {b}Seriously.{/b?}"

    sophia "Okay, [mcf] please seriously - {b}you are asking a lot of questions back-to-back.{/b}."

    mc "Hey...! Maybe I'm just a shitty conversationalist, okay?"

    "......"

    "..."

        mc "*Ahem* We're making small talk, so I won't promise that will be the last one you'll hear. You are a fascinating person."

        sophia "Uh huh, I bet..."

        mc "*Ahem* I was bidden to make small talk, so I can't promise that will be the last one you'll hear."

    sophia "Are you feeling okay? Your eyes look a bit distant."

    mc "You're... {i}very{/i} attractive."

    "Perhaps alarmingly, I said that all too easily."

    sophia "What do you like better? My thighs or my stomach?"

    mc "Why... those two?"

    "A better question might've been why she was even asking, but in the moment, questioning the question behind the question felt {i}laborious{/i}."

    sophia "Following a man's eye line is an essential skill for any woman, especially one in a position like mine."

    sophia "Your glances are... not furtive."

        mc "I imagine they wouldn't, considering..."

        mc "Well, no shit, I imagine they wouldn't be. Considering..."

    mct "(Yeah...)"

    sophia "Now, answer my question. It's valuable information."

    mc "Answer my question first."

    sophia "...what did you ask? Did I {i}want{/i} to be a chemist?"

    mc "The emphasis was supposed to be on {i}always.{/i}"

    sophia "Asking me that is akin to me asking if you wanted to be born a human being. I AM a chemist."

        mc "Aha! I like it! That's intense!"

        "That... came out WAY stronger than I meant, but those were also my true feelings."

        mc "You're saying you feel like you were born to do what you do. That kind of certainty is admirable."

        mc "You're saying you feel like you were born to be a chemist? That kind of certainty is admirable."

    sophia "Ah, that's not quite... is it admirable to be born tall?"

    mc "You're taking your metaphor a little too seriously. I imagine you've worked hard to land where you're at."

        mc "There must be many people who have discounted you because of your age and gender. You're entitled to act like you kick ass."

        mc "There must be many people who have discounted you because of your age and gender. Is false humility a product of that?"

    sophia "......"

    sophia "...chemistry, in the loosest sense, is about systematically isolating inputs in a concerted effort to achieve a desired range of outputs."

    sophia "...in a lot of the same way, with efficacious foresight and the proper guidance, personal want becomes a dependent variable that can be controlled."

    mc "...wait, you {i}literally{/i} think of yourself as an effect, not the cause?"

    "Not that I didn't sympathize with or understand that line of thinking or find it seductive, for that matter, but..."

    sophia "We have gone down a rabbit hole I didn't remotely intend."

    "Tossing away a sense of culpability in your life, even if it's ultimately an illusion, felt tantamount to admitting defeat. Defeat over {b}what{/b} I wasn't entirely sure, but it was a dreadful feeling that I emphatically rejected."

    sophia "But what I've gathered from this is... you're a man who highly values certainty?"

    mc "Well... kinda. I know that certainty is a pipe dream, but being sure of yourself is fundamental to every aspect of life."

    mc "Everything you do and every choice you make is built on the foundation of your own self-image. So maybe when I called it admirable, I should've used the word... enviable?"

    "The awkwardness of our initial words had quickly collapsed, and I was freely professing my thoughts almost unfiltered. Leaving me with the obvious question of {i}why{/i} did I find Sophia so easy to talk to?"

    sophia "Self-image, huh...?"

    "Sophia closes her eyes, letting herself momentarily get washed away in thought."

    sophia "Sounds fickle and prone to change."

    mc "It totally is, but... ah... heh. Actually, how did we even end up talking about this again?"

    sophia "You lobbed an unfunny, sexist joke in my lap."

    mc "Oh, {b}right{/b}..."

    sophia "Men should find their self-worth in ideas and a purpose outside of themselves."

        mc "Is it another one of Dr. Van Doren's maxims?"

        sophia "It is something I've learned myself."

        mc "I don't disagree, but..."

        mc "I don't disagree, but..."

    "For no rhyme or reason, the lush color of Sophia's lips and the cavernous suckhole that lay beyond their plump borders diverted my train of thought."

    mct "(Ah... focus, you dumb animal.)"

    sophia "You don't disagree, buuuuut...?"

    mc "...I don't disagree, but y-you got to know yourself to know which ideas are worthwhile, right?"

    sophia "Hmmm... not really?"

    sophia "In my experience, the most worthwhile of purposes finds you."

    "Her voice dropped to a sultry octave, sending a shiver down my spine and wresting my attention from the hypnotizing curl of her cockholster and back on the devil herself."

    mc "To be frank, I'm not sure what we're talking about anymore."

    sophia "Neither do I. We're just kinda... yapping and killing time, are we not?"

    mc "You're... waiting too?"

    sophia "Do you think I'm just fucking around in an empty bar?"

    mc "Um..."

    "......"

    mc "...yeeeeees?"

    sophia "Remember when I said I knew you had time to kill? Well, that's because I also have time to kill, for the same reason as you."

    sophia "I'll be sitting alongside you for Kathleen's little farce."

    sophia "Let's get along, Mr. [mcl]."

    mc "Back to the mister shit, are we?"

    sophia "By the way, you owe me an answer."

    mc "To what?"

    sophia "My stomach or my thighs?"

    mc "Are you...?"

    "She {b}was.{/b}"

        "Stomach.":

            mc "Fine. Your stomach... you could balance a quarter on it."

            sophia "Noted, thank you -- but, uh... why did you pick a quarter of all things?"

            mc "That wasn't really the point. I'm saying you have an abdomen that I want to eat soup out-- {b}d-damn it{/b}, why can I only think of object-based compliments right now?"

            sophia "Heh~ hehe."

            mc "By the way, how is that \"useful\" information?"

            sophia "It's not really. I was just bored."

            sophia "Can I offer you a drink?"

            mc "Are you...?"

            sophia "Show me where this \"velvet room\" is, please."

            "She {b}wasn't{/b}, but her swinging hips held my attention hostage as we cut through the halls to yet another one of Mrs. Pulman's games."

            "......"

            "..."

        "Thighs.":

            mc "Fine. Your thighs."

            mc "They're like a horizon that entices you to journey to what's beyond."

            sophia "Noted. Thank you."

            mc "By the way, how is that \"useful\" information?"

            sophia "It's not really. I was just bored."

            sophia "...but would you like to take a glimpse beyond the horizon?"

            mc "Are you...?"

            sophia "Show me where this \"velvet room\" is, please."

            "She {b}wasn't{/b}, but her swinging hips held attention hostage as we cut through the halls to yet another one of Mrs. Pulman's games."

            "......"

            "..."

        "Be glib. Sorry. You have a girlfriend, so you shouldn't say." if hanaGF == True:

            mc "You know, I don't feel comfortable saying. I have a girlfriend."

            "That... felt weird to say. How long had I been single...?"

            sophia "Oh? That's, uh... is that a joke?"

            "I didn't actually want to count."

            mc "It actually isn't."

            sophia "Too bad. That would've been the first humorous thing you said."

            mc "Fuuuuuck yoooou."

            sophia "Well, We could. We may have some time before Kathleen finishes setting up."

            mc "Are you...?"

            sophia "Show me where this \"velvet room\" is, please."

            "She mercifully {b}wasn't{/b}. With how turned on I was, I wasn't exactly confident in the upper limits of my self-control..."

            "Still, her swinging hips held my attention hostage as we cut through the halls to yet another one of Mrs. Pulman's games."

            "......"

            "..."

    play music "music/i-knew-a-guy.ogg"

    "Once I had shown her to the big, dumb, blue room in question... I seized the chance to put some distance between us."

    sophia "I guess she's still...? How long does it take to set things up?"

    "Distance that I hoped would place my desire into a waning state, but..."

    sophia "*Sigh* I should've offered my help with more insistence..."

    "...instead, it just filled me with a wicked sense of yearning."

    sophia "Let me ask you something. As I understand it, you haven't worked here for very long, correct?"

    mc "......"

    mc "..."

    sophia "I said... YOU HAVEN'T WORKED HERE VERY LONG, have you, Mr. [mcl]?"

    mc "...ah, um... yeah. That's right."

    sophia "What's your take on Kathleen? How do you evaluate her as... {i}a person?{/i}"

    mc "As a person...?"

    mct "(She's...)"

    play sound "sound effects/high-heel-footsteps.wav"

    "*Clack, clack, clack...*"

    sophia "Forget that thought."

    kat "You're here? I told you I'd come and get you at the bar when things had been fully prepared."

    sophia "I was getting impatient, so I asked [mcf] to show me here."

    sophia "I don't understand why we can't watch the proceedings in person."

    kat "I've explained it already; that's the magic to--"

    mc "Where are the Carnations?"

    kat "In the obsidian room, hooked up and... {i}growing antsy{/} themselves. You see..."

        kat "Mrs. Ford's punishment for coming in last will lie in the hands of her competitors."

        kat "...and as I've already explained to Miss Lundgren, we will review the scene remotely so that Rosalind and Veronica might act with more... {i}impunity.{/i}"

        kat "Miss Lynch's punishment for coming in last will lie in the hands of her competitors."

        kat "...and as I've already explained to Miss Lundgren, we will review the scene remotely so that Rosalind and Felicia might act with more... {i}impunity.{/i}"

        kat "Miss Lynch and Mrs. Ford's punishment for tying for last place will lie in the hands of sweet little Rosalind."

        kat "...and as I've already explained to Miss Lundgren, we will review the scene remotely so that she might act with more... {i}impunity.{/i}"

        kat "Those sluts' punishment over tying for last place lies in their own hands - well, more specifically, Miss Lynch drew lots to take a more \"active\" role... but she won't have an easy time with it."

        kat "...and as I've already explained to Miss Lundgren, we will review the scene remotely so that she might act with more... {i}impunity.{/i}"

    kat "A sense of privacy will let them play off each other more naturally, and more importantly, feel a greater responsibility and animosity for what transpires."

    sophia "They {i}are{/i} aware they're being watched?"

    kat "Of course. The girls aren't that stupid."

    sophia "Then isn't it the same if I were to observe closely?"

    kat "Trust me on this one. Just removing a physical presence can have a powerful effect on a person's psychology, camera or no camera."

    kat "I know you don't care about the artistry of this, but you {b}will{/b} observe a more potent result this way."

    sophia "..."

    kat "Sit down. {i}Kick your feet up.{/i}"

    kat "Perhaps [mcf] can go fetch you a drink while you wait for the show to begin?"

    sophia "No, thank you."

    mc "Uh... am I even needed for this?"

    mct "(If you don't mind, I'd like to find a toilet stall to beat off in...)"

    kat "What a silly question. How could you fulfill your role as moral support if you don't know what the girls experience?"

    kat "Besides, two is better than being alone in that woman's company."

    mc "I... *ahem*... {b}got it{/b}."

    kat "Hmmm? What's the matter, [mcf]?"

    kat "Are you feeling alright? You're looking flushed."

        mct "(An exercise in control {b}my ass.{/b})"

        mct "This... this is going to take a while, and I'm..."

    "I'm going to die."

    play music "music/landing.ogg"

        fel "Ugggh... aawwwahh... ahh..."

        rose "How long has it been?"

        fel "S-seriously, ug-ugh...!"

        ver "About roughly fifteen minutes."

        rose "{b}Oh.{/b} She said to begin after ten. I guess we should--"

        fel "G-goddammit, you bitches! Let me have a drink of that water. That shit she gave me is making me--"

        rose "I don't know what to do..."

        ver "No, the old bitch sure as shit wasn't explicit... I mean, \"have fun and make it a good show\"...?"

        rose "You should start."

        ver "Are you trying to pawn this off on me?"

        fel "Unnggg....!"

        rose "No! Just... I don't really have any experience with this sort of... {i}thing{/i}."

        ver "And you think I do?"

        fel "J-just fucking begin...! The sooner you do, the sooner I can--"

        ver "What about you, Blondie? You've done this sort of thing before, right?"

        ver "What should we do?"

        fel "E-eh? I haven't ever-- unngg, whatever just-- g-grab one of the dildos..."

        ver "Alright..."

        rose "Wait... would that really be {i}tormenting{/i} her?"

        rose "Mrs. Pulman said to punish her..."

        ver "I mean... I don't know? She's strung out of her mind on that aphrodisiac shit. A little touch and go could be pretty mean."

        rose "..."

        ver "What, you got a better idea?"

        rose "I know what would work on me..."

        fel "CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME FUCKING WATER FIRST?!"

        ver "I just got an idea myself."

        kat "Ha! By the end of this week, I will have these bitches hating each other."

        sophia "The blonde is abnormally thirsty..."

        ver "Unnngg, aaahh..."

        rose "What do you think we should do?"

        ver "C-c'mon...! It's--"

        fel "You heard the lady. She told us to have fun, punish Red, and make it a good show."

        rose "Y-yeah, but... uh, you want to start then?"

        ver "It's past time! L-let's get this rolling!"

        fel "I could. Lotta stuff to work with over there... just pick and point, right?"

        rose "A lot of that stuff is scary..."

        fel "It all comes down to how you use it. We just got to remember that--"

        ver "Haa, hhhaa... unnghh..."

        fel "...she's hopped up on that sex drug. We might fry her brain or something if we're not careful."

        rose "That's not possible, right?"

        fel "Who the hell knows..."

        rose "Go ahead, pick something..."

        ver "Unnngggh, f-fuck I'm burning up..."

        fel "Oh no. You think you'll be able to just stand around and not get your hands dirty, don't you?"

        rose "N-no! It's just... I've never done anything like this before. I know you have, right?"

        fel "Why the fuck would you think that?"

        rose "Well... you know... you're kinda... um... n-nothing."

        fel "......"

            fel "You make it a habit of pushing your problems on other people, don't you?"

            rose "What are you talking about?"

            fel "I'm talking about [mcf] and the 5000 dollars I-- ah, whatever."

            fel "..."

        fel "Point is, you're going to help."

        fel "I have a preeetty good idea what will make her cum unrelentingly, buuuut... you'll take the other end."

        rose "...sure. I have some ideas too."

        fel "I knew you did, you sneaky bitch."

        rose "Fuck you, Felicia."

        kat "Ha! By the end of this week, I will have these bitches hating each other."

        sophia "Did you get the dosage right? The redhead only seems mildly affected."

        mct "(You call that mild?!)"

        kat "Of course, I did. Veronica's just got a stiff upper lip."

        ver "Hnnng, hhhhaaa..."

        fel "C-can you get me some water, Rosie? Please?"

        rose "Mrs. Pulman said not to start for ten minutes."

        fel "It's been ten minutes!"

        rose "Has it?"

        fel "Y-yes! S-stop twiddling your thumbs and begin!"

        fel "This s-shit she gave us is making me... uugghh..."

        ver "I a-agree with Blondie. Let's get this going...!"

        rose "Okay..."

        rose "What should I use?"

        fel "Huuhgg, like I know!"

        rose "All she said was to punish you and make it look good... ugh..."

        ver "U-use what's on the table... g-grab one of those dildos or something!"

        rose "...would that be enough?"

        ver "P-probably!"

        fel "What the hell do you mean would that be--"

        rose "I mean... I gotta do a good job, right? I need to... get creative."

        ver "Ah- ha... y-yeah, I suppose she expects you to... gg-gah... damn it, my shoulders hurt. Just get started! Please, Rosie?"

        rose "......"

        rose "..."

        rose "Don't bear a grudge over this, okay?"

        kat "Ha! By the end of this week, I will have these bitches hating each other."

        sophia "The blonde seems abnormally thirsty and the redhead only mildly affected."

        mct "(You call that mild?!)"

        sophia "Did you get the dosage right?"

        kat "Of course, I did. She's just got a stiff upper lip."

        rose "Hhhngg..."

        fel "A-ah, fuck I'm thirsty... this stuff is making me... unngg..."

        fel "Why the fuck are you just standing there, staring like some perverted cunt?!"

        ver "Because I'm... a-ah..."

        ver "She gave that shit to all of us! Just standing here, I feel like my head's about to melt!"

        fel "It's b-better than being locked into this thing! F-fucking...!"

        ver "It's not my fault you drew the short straws! But, honestly, I'd rather be where you are than have to..."

        rose "...h-have to what?"

        ver "...h-have to control my urges! That old bitch said to put on a good show and punish you... and the fucking worst thing is..."

        ver "That sounds like SUCH a good idea right now! I'm so fuckin' horny... I just want t--"

        rose "A-hhn, hggg... wh-what?!"

        ver "You two are gorgeous... no shit, but I've thought that... like always...? Ah... what am I saying...?"

        ver "Even Felicia, even though I think you're a dumb bitch for signing up for this, I can't deny that you're..."

        fel "Oh, god damn it. Just do something! I feel like all the moisture in my body is oozing out my cunt!"

        rose "Y-yeah... uh... I mean... go e-easy on us, but... you gotta do something, right?"

        rose "She said to start in ten minutes and, I... uh... it's been more than that, right?"

        ver "I don't know... I have no concept of time right now. I guess so?"

        ver "So... there's a lot of stuff on here."

        ver "What should I..."

        kat "Ha! By the end of this week, I will have these bitches hating each other."

        sophia "The redhead seems particularly affected."

        kat "Deep down, she's a big pervert... but now a pervert with much less inhibition in the tank, two juicy slabs of meat at her fingertips, and a good excuse."

    "Like before, Mrs. Pulman was once again pitting the Carnations against each other... in one sense, I found this was directionless and crude, but the more affected part of me..."

    mct "(...\"feel a greater responsibility and animosity for what transpires\", huh?)"

    "--found it dramatic and compelling. The three were already separated by their status as competitors, but now she sought to drive an even greater wedge between them."

        kat "Anticipating the show, [mcf]?"

        mc "What are you...?"

        "The old woman's palm played across the length of my package with a fervor that rivaled even the most drunken letch."

        kat "Or did shocking the girls get you {i}this{/i} hot and bothered?"

        mc "Uunng... d-don't fuck with me."

        "Actually... come to think of it, why doesn't that foul perfume affect either of them? I know for a fact it affects women..."

        "The Carnations were proof enough of that. Was it as simple as them being used to it? Maybe even inoculated against it...?"

        mc "Hnngg..."

            "...how did I even know it wasn't affecting Mrs. Pulman? After all, her hand was currently rubbing my cock."

            "...how did I even know it wasn't affecting Kathleen? After all, her hand was currently rubbing my cock."

        "...but that was kinda in character for her, wasn't it?"

        sophia "...eh? {b}Heh.{/b}"

        sophia "Him, I could understand, but you..."

        kat "{i}Please{/i}, I've seen you in much worse states."

        sophia "There's a fundamental difference."

        kat "The difference is I'm my own woman, doing what I please and not what I'm told."

        "Suddenly I thought... this might not even be about me, huh?"

        "Nevertheless, even just touching me over my pants offered a soothing proposition of release..."

        mc "Hnnnggg..."

        "On top of it all, I was also getting extremely pissed..."

        "I felt the only reason she sent me to keep an eye on Sophia was to fuck with me. That was her very nature, to senselessly poke and prod."

        mc "I said, don't fuck with me, you stupid--"

        kat "Oh! Looks like the girls are ready to begin!"

            "Mrs. Pulman's hand darted from my crotch and I felt an immediate and {b}massive{/b} pang of regret."

            "Kathleen's hand darted from my crotch and I felt an immediate and {b}massive{/b} pang of regret."

            "Put her hand back where it belongs.":

                "By instinct, I roughly grabbed the old woman's wrist."

                mc "Put your hand back."

                kat "Oh...?"

                "Turns out, my horniness outweighed my indignation at being chemically manipulated."

                kat "My, my... you must really be hurt--"

                mc "{b}Finish{/b} what you started."

                kat "......"

                kat "..."

                kat "Don't look at me. Watch {b}my{/b} show."

                "Her fingers started moving and--"

                play sound "sound effects/zipper.wav"

                "*Ziiiiiiiiip*"

                   "Although technically {i}inside the club{/i}, I knew Hana would balk if she saw this scene. Still... mitigating circumstances, right?"

            "Carry on, untouched.":

                "Regret I would live with."

                "Somehow and someway, I fought against the violent urge to place the old hag's hand back on my dick."

                "Current plan: grit my teeth, sit here quietly, and then when it's all said and done... go jerk off in a stall or something."

                mct "(Yeah... solid plan...)"

        kat "Anticipating the show, [mcf]?"

        mc "Ummm... h-huh?"

        kat "Do I have to spell it out?"

        "I knew what she meant."

        "Sophia knew what she meant too."

        "Both of them were acutely aware of the angry bulge in my pants before we even sat down and I felt zero shame about it."

        kat "What do you think Sophie?"

        "Hell, even if I was in my right mind right now, I still might not feel ashamed about it. By now, well... popping a boner in front of this stupid hag was pretty standard."

        kat "Pretty impressive for a dim-looking guy, isn't it? You wanna see it up close?"

        mc "Hnnng... don't fuck with me..."

        "Actually... come to think of it, why doesn't that foul perfume affect either of them? I know for a fact it affects women..."

        sophia "Does he normally talk to you like that?"

        "The Carnations were proof enough of that, but neither of them seemed all that bothered. Did they hide it well?"

        kat "I'll let it slide, considering the circumstances."

        "Was it as simple as them being used to it? Maybe even inoculated against it...?"

        kat "--seriously though, I could ask him to whip it out and he'd do it."

        sophia "No, thank you. I'm not like you, Kathleen."

        kat "Really? With what I've seen you do at the behest of Abel, all with a smile on your face, well..."

        kat "{b}Could've fooled me.{/b}"

        sophia "There's a difference."

        kat "The difference is I'm my own woman, doing what I please and not what I'm to-- oh!"

        kat "Looks like it's getting started."

    kat "This should be good. Pay close attention, Mr. [mcl]."

    kat "This should be a good lesson for you."

    mc "What the hell are you...?"

    fel "You know what--"

        play sound "sound effects/gulp.wav"

        "*Glug, glug, guuuuuuuhg...!*"

        fel "A-ah... shiiiiiit...! That's... {b}GOOD{/b}! So fucking... {b}hhhuuuaah{/b}...!"

        ver "Huh... uh... want some more?"

        fel "Hnnng... n-no. N-now my other end is {i}aching{/i} more than my... hhhnngg..."

        fel " C'mon... I've got places to be... s-so can we just get started doing whatever it is you bitches are going to do?"

        ver "Hmm? You sure? There's two other bott--"

        rose "{b}Sooooo{/b}.... I think I came up with the plan of attack..."

        fel "Shit. Y-you're actually taking the initiative for once? Wow, {b}s-shocked{/b}!"

        ver "What are you going to do with that?"

        rose "Hold this, please."

        ver "...and do what with it?"

        rose "Just take it."

        ver "Ooooookay."

        rose "I... ah... huh..."

        rose "This is all new to me, so it might be a little clumsy, but..."

        "*Chwup..."

        fel "Eh? What are you..."

        fel "Mmmhh...!"

        ver "Whaa, huh?!"

        fel "Mmmmh, mmmhhh... mmmmhh...!"

        "The scene playing out on the television screen was..."

        "It was... it was..."

        "Kinda... uh..."

        mct "(Hnnng!!!!)"

            kat "Huh. I didn't expect that."

            "In my current over-cooked state, what was playing out on the television screen was a muddled mess of pixels that barely registered meaning to me."

            kat "Not a bad tactic, however~ mixing affection and punishment does funny things to a person's head."

            "No, in my current state, my mind was entirely consumed by the old woman's grip on my cock."

            mc "H-haahaa...!"

            kat "Doubt that's what the cow has in mind, though."

            sophia "Is that why you kissed the redhead the other night?"

            kat "Not at all. That was just the heat of the moment. Veronica really was beautiful, right then and there..."

            mc "G-gahh...!"

            "The pitiful noise of a rutting animal punctuated the women's conversation."

            kat "Sadly, that moment was quickly lost, and she's now back to being that contemptible creature on the screen. Beauty is fleeting, isn't it?"

            sophia "You have a {i}unique{/i} sense of aesthetics, Kathleen."

            kat "Well, what do you find hot, Miss Lundgren? I'm genuinely curious..."

            mc "Huuuhghh...!"

            kat "What gets a woman like you going?"

            mc "H-huhh... ack...!"

            sophia "You ever give much thought to what makes your skin itch? I tend not to pontificate over my bodily responses."

            kat "Unlike me, you mean?"

            sophia "When I feel an itch, I simply scratch it."

            kat "We got that in common at least - {b}all three of us.{/b}"

            sophia "Stop distracting me. I'm trying to watch--"

            kat "Huh. I didn't expect that."

            "In my current over-cooked state, what was playing out on the television screen was a muddled mess of pixels that barely registered meaning to me."

            kat "Not a bad tactic, however~ mixing affection and punishment does funny things to a human's head."

            kat "Doubt that's what the cow has in mind, though."

            mc "She... ah... she definitely didn't."

            sophia "Is that why you kissed the redhead the other night?"

            kat "Not at all. That was just the heat of the moment. She really was beautiful right then and there..."

            kat "Sadly, that moment was quickly lost, and she's now back to being that contemptible creature on the screen. Beauty is fleeting, isn't it??"

            sophia "You have a {i}unique{/i} sense of aesthetics, Kathleen."

            kat "Well, what do you find hot, Miss Lundgren? I'm genuinely curious... what gets a woman like you going?"

            sophia "You ever give much thought to what makes your skin itch? I tend not to pontificate over my bodily responses."

            kat "Unlike me, you mean?"

            sophia "When I feel an itch, I simply scratch it."

            kat "Oh, lovely, at least we have that in common."

            sophia "Stop distracting me. I'm trying to watch--"

        "*Cwhup, fhwhup, chuuup!*"

        "She was going for it."

        fel "Mmmh... mmmhhh..."

        "She was really, {b}really{/b} going for it."

        rose "*Chwup, fwhup...!* MMmhh--"

        fel "Hnng, a-aaah...!"

        fel "W-wha was... hnnngg..."

        "Felicia and I both were in a fog; I could tell that much. Even a simple, if surprisingly passionate, kiss had upended all the sense in her head."

        ver "What was that?"

        rose "Well... ah... you should always begin the foreplay with a kiss, right? It's like a rule..."

        fel "We're not making love you fat-tittied idiot! Hnngg... gah... even just that... I'm fucking burning up!"

        fel "Stuff that thing in my cunt already!"

        rose "Sorry, Felicia. That's... NOT happening yet."

        fel "...AND WHY THE HELL NOT?!"

        rose "You know why, hun."

        fel "S-so your plan is to just let me hang here?!"

        rose "No... my plan is..."

        play sound "sound effects/slap2.wav"

        play music "music/addict.ogg"

        "*SWIIICK!*"

        fel "Hnnggg...! What the--"

        play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

        "*THWAP!"

        fel "--t-he fuck!"

        rose "I've always wondered just {i}how{/i} sensitive other girls are right here... I know what my girlfriends TOLD me, but it's hard to picture it without seeing it yourself..."

        rose "Me? I remember running around the school's track in my gym clothes made my chest feel so... uh... {b}yeah{/b}."

        fel "What?! You're going to treat my tits like a guinea pig?!"

        rose "I mean, it's not like I want to... it's part of the game."

        fel "F-fine, whatever, just.... huuuunhh... give me some fucking r-relief from this, a-ahh...!"

        rose "Well, if you're anything like me..."

            rose "...this might just make you faint."

            kat "I'm surprised you haven't soiled my hand yet."

            mc "Hnngg!"

            kat "I know one time won't suffice. You don't have to fear; I'll milk you as much as you require~"

            "At this point, a stiff breeze would have gotten me off, but for how slow it was, the old woman's technique was thorough and {i}immaculate{/i} in its consistency. She never slowed or sped up; she just jerked me like her wrist operated on a piston."

            mc "G-ahh, s-shut the fuck up and just k-keep--!"

            "The real magic lay in how she used her pinky, tracing its black nail up and down the underside of my shaft, never deviating a single millimeter from the same tract of overwrought nerve endings."

            kat "*Whisper* You should speak kindly to someone who's doing you a favor, [mcf]."

            mc "*Gulp* H-a, haa... favor...? Yeah right..."

            "It was like the words appeared on my lips without even being thought of. I said what I felt without control or filter."

            mc "T-take a seat and spin on it if you really want to do me a favor!"

            kat "You're adorable right now, you know that?"

            play sound "sound effects/lighter-flick.wav"

            fel "U-uh... W-WHAT THE HELL is that for?!"

            kat "Oh! Didn't expect that would even get used."

            rose "...this might just make you faint."

            kat "Well, well, well... this is taking an exciting turn."

            mc "Hhhngg... y-yeah..."

            mct "(I couldn't argue against that...)"

            "With the way I counted it, I had a couple of options for managing my sickening arousal."

            "I could let my mind wander, try to think of something else... but invariably, my senses fell on the women next to me, to the curves of their busts and their waists..."

            "These two women were so far above me... the old woman decades my senior. Sophia, a brilliant scientist... it was so easy to imagine the delight in grabbing one of them right now and just--"

            mct "(Y-yeah... no... I should focus on what's playing out in front of me...)"

            "The other option was to let Kathleen's game preoccupy my attention."

            kat "A-aah..."

            mct "(...that's gotta be the best way of dealing with this, right?)"

            kat "Do you need to be excused, Mr. [mcl]? Perhaps you need to go to the bathroom?"

            mc "N-no, I'm f-fine..."

            "She teased me, and strangely, I felt an unusual rush of pride. Of course, it was irrational, but that would be akin to losing..."

            "Losing what and to who, I did not know... but my willpower... I was stronger than this..."

            mct "(I ain't a fucking animal... right?)"

            play sound "sound effects/lighter-flick.wav"

            fel "U-uh... W-WHAT THE HELL is that for?!"

            kat "Oh! A {i}truly{/i} exciting turn."

        fel "N-not funny, you fucking cunt!"

        rose "R-relax, stop wriggling around!"

        fel "Like hell I will! Get that thing away from me!"

        rose "Relax, Sweetie... I'm not planning on burning you... I'm just..."

        fel "Hnngg... g-gahh..."

        rose "I read about this sort of thing in a book."

        fel "G-gah, wh-what kinda fucking books do you read?!"

        rose "Uh... it's something another mom recommended?"

        fel "You're lying, you perverted cow! {b}Hnnngg--{/b} that's f-fucking hot!"

        rose "Well, that IS the point, hun... but I'm not burning you am I?"

        fel "H-huh...?! I g-guess not... it actually feels kinda... my s-skin is-- a-aahh...!"

        rose "See, {b}trust me.{/b}"

        fel "Ahhhaaah, why does it feel like a massage? My head's all fuckin' hhngggg...!"

        rose "Ha, good... then I'm doing it right."

        fel "Have you never done this before?!"

        rose "Oh, heavens no... I'm not a deviant like you. Like I said, I've only read about it..."

        fel "W-well fuck you too, bitch!"

        play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

        "*Thwack!*"

        rose "Don't be rude!"

        fel "G-gah, w-what the fuck?! That... h-hnngg...! F-fuck me, why did I almost cum from that?"

        rose "Because you're perverted."

        ver "It's probably because of the drug..."

        rose "Uh, sorry... I don't mean that... well, not all of it... there's a camera, so I must make it sound good too."

        fel "B-bullshit... you're enjoying this..."

        rose "Don't be rude."

        rose "Still... that felt more intense than the first time I slapped you, right?"

        fel "Y-yeah...?"

        rose "Good. It worked then."

        fel "Gah, my head's all f-fucked right nooooow... mmmwww..."

        fel "G-gah...?!"

        rose "You've got lovely skin, Felicia... I'm jealous of how evenly you tan."

        fel "N-not the time for a compliment y-you, a-hh, h-hey... Red... how about you stick that in my--"

        rose "{b}Not yet{/b}, please."

        ver "I wasn't planning on it. I'm actually curious to see where you're taking this..."

        fel "H-hatt, what are you... g-gah..."

        fel "H--haat, f-fhuck... every part of me is on fire and... hnngg... e-every time you touch it it's like my ah... I'm out of my body?"

        ver "You're more sadistic than you let on, huh?"

        rose "It's part of the game!"

        ver "You have a big smile on your face right now."

        rose "It's nothing like that. It's just nice to be on this side of things for a change...?"

        fel "Ha-hhaa, h-haaaat! Gah, s-stop blathering so much! I can't think!"

        ver "Awww, is Blondie frustrated she doesn't hold 100\%\ of the attention?"

        fel "G-ahh, why are you bitches getting so mean all of a sudden?! J-just... hng... m-make me feel good; I'm dying here!"

        rose "Ask politely, please."

        fel "Hhhngg... f-fuck no. I'm not begging you for a thing!"

        rose "That kind of obstinacy is not really helping anything... you're sending some mixed messages here."

        rose "If you want something, you need to learn to ask. Even my daughter has more manners than you."

        ver "Drink up, Blondie."

        fel "H-huh?"

            ver "I said to drink up!"

            kat "It's always interesting when you give a woman like Rosalind the opportunity to blow off steam. They're so stressed, pent up, inhibited..."

            mc "H-haa..."

            kat "They don't show you their true colors as much as their whole color palette blends together in one fucked up mix."

            "Like hell my mind was registering any of her bullshit right now."

            sophia "You counted on this kind of... {i}fervor{/i}?"

            mc "H-a, hnnggaa..."

            "The inside of my head was mush right now. My capacity for language was utterly eroded."

            kat "I've been doing this for a long time. Before the club, I had my {i}other{/i} enterprises."

            kat "I'm well acquainted with the peculiar ways people in desperate situations respond. In a way, it's a more potent means of control than any drug."

            sophia "I'm actually impressed for once."

            kat "You shouldn't be. I'm an amateur when compared to someone like your owner."

            kat "I think the way Van Doren has you under his thumb is much more impressive."

            sophia "Thank you."

            kat "You took that as a compliment?"

            sophia "Of course I did. Abel only has the best things."

            ver "Huh... that's an interesting direction..."

            kat "Your self-awareness in your choice of words is commendable, dear."

            ver "How are you...?"

            ver "I said to drink up!"

            kat "It's always interesting when you give a woman like Rosalind the opportunity to blow off steam. They're so stressed, pent up, inhibited..."

            kat "They don't show you their true colors as much as their whole color palette blends together in one fucked up mix."

            "To my annoyance, whenever one of them spoke, my attention would turn back to just how fuckable the women next to me were. "

            sophia "You counted on this kind of... {i}fervor{/i}?"

            mct "(Christ, I want to make that mouthy hag choke on my dick until she passes out!)"

            "Intrusive thought upon intrusive thought flooded my head."

            kat "I've been doing this for a long time. Before the club, I had my {i}other{/i} enterprises."

            kat "I'm well acquainted with the peculiar ways people in desperate situations respond. In a way, it's a more potent means of control than any drug."

            sophia "I'm actually impressed for once."

            kat "You shouldn't be. I'm an amateur when compared to someone like your Master."

            kat "I think the way Van Doren has you under his thumb is much more impressive."

            sophia "Thank you."

            kat "You took that as a compliment?"

            sophia "Of course I did. Abel only has the best things."

            ver "Huh... that's an interesting direction..."

            kat "Your self-awareness in your choice of words is commendable, dear."

            ver "How are you...?"

        fel "G-gah, you read about this in a book too?!"

        rose "Not {i}quite{/i}... how does it feel?"

        fel "Hnngg... what do you mean how does it feel? It's like- It's like I'm getting my tits sucked on by a glass cup!"

        fel "Gh-"

        rose "How about now?"

        fel "Hhhn, s-shitt...!"

        rose "Not quite the reaction I was looking for, but I guess it has just been a couple of pumps..."

        fel "Hhhhhhaaaaaa! Gh, haaa--! You c-cunt!"

        rose "How many times do I have to ask you not to be rude?"

        fel "Ga-, ggaaaah... ggaaahh...!"

        "The impact of the fourth pump was quite dramatic. Felicia's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she howled like a dying animal."

        rose "I bet that feels heavy, like nursing a baby?"

        ver "More like nursing a vacuum cleaner..."

        fel "G-ggaaah... it's pulling my nipples off!"

        rose "Oh, come on, don't be dramatic."

        fel "H, haaaahht.. they're going to come off! They're coming off!"

        ver "Yeah, seriously, don't be so dramatic."

        rose "Hang in there."

        "With that particular choice of words, the two retreated back to let Felicia fight against the unyielding suck of the two pumps dangling off her chest in an unwinnable battle of time."

        fel "Hnnng, gaaahh...! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit...!"

        "The longer she hung there, with the breast pumps dangling from her chest, the more desperate she sounded."

        "It didn't take very long, maybe just two or three minutes, before the signs of defeat were plastered on her face."

        fel "Can't think...! It's alallllglhhhh...!"

        fel "Gahhahaha, hggnnnggaaaa...! I'm ddddyyingg, my tits areee..."

        fel "I'm! I'm! I'm! I'm! I'm! I'm! I'm! CHwwwuummingngg!"

        fel "*Hwugfff... hwhuuff... *Wheeeze* Hnnggaa..."

        "The unceasing suction brought Felicia to the brink in a snap instant."

        ver "Holy shit. Did she just...?"

        rose "Woah..."

        ver "I think you broke her."

        fel "Hngg, ahh... sgwwhohoo sshlloohpy, shwwaahh..."

        rose "I didn't think her reaction would be that extreme..."

        fel "Hnnggg... givehh mee... shhovovee it in mee..."

        rose "Oh dear... I didn't realize it was that extreme."

        rose "Go ahead and give her what she wants, please."

        ver "Hmm... not yet. She's still got one more water bottle left."

            kat "I'm starting to get offended, Mr. [mcl]. Does my hand not suffice?"

            kat "Don't you want to taste release?"

            mc "G-gah, f-fuck! It's not like I have any control over it!"

            sophia "Hmm..."

            "Every fiber of my being desperately anticipated climax. My reason had been eroded and my purpose replaced by the critical need to expunge every trace of nauseating desire from my body through my cock."

            "The hairs on my arm stood on end, the feeling in my extremities came and went like the tide, and a pervasive tingling feeling floated from my neck down to my tailbone - by all means, my body told me that I {b}should{/b} be coming."

            sophia "Interesting."

            "But I wasn't. My bloated dick burned against the soft palm of the old woman's hand, pulsating and twitching from the ceaseless stimulation, filling me with the irrational fear that I might literally explode if I didn't soon go careening into the void of sexual release."

            sophia "All things considered, he is showing a {b}surprising{/b} degree of longevity..."

            kat "Maybe your fragrance isn't as effective as you think it is."

            mc "G-gaahh!"

            sophia "Maybe..."

            mct "(No! It was definitely fucking effective!)"

            sophia "...but unlikely. Hey, [mcf]..."

            "Through lidded eyes, I could sense the blonde scooching closer and closer."

            sophia "The issue is that a young, well-traveled guy like you simply can't get off on an old woman's touch, right?"

            mc "That's not--"

            sophia "{b}{i}Isn't it?{/b}{/i}"

            "Even in my lust-addled state..."

            "My brain registered amazement over the willful way Sophia flipped the switch, going from detached aloofness to a man-killer just as easily as one would shed their clothes. "

            mc "Hnngg...!"

            kat "*Scoff* Feeling left out, were you?"

            sophia "Give them a comparison."

            "My hand responded independently, sinking into the pleasant give of the doctor's tit-flesh in an instant as what remained of my faculties disappeared into the whirlpool of her eyes."

            sophia "You got a mess lurking somewhere in there that you want to get out?"

            mc "Ha... hnngg...! F-fuck it!"

            sophia "...?!"

            "I kissed her, just as you'd expect a man on the brink of starvation to steal a loaf of bread."

            sophia "Mmmhhhh....!"

                "She might not have expected it or even wanted it, but she quickly accepted it as a consequence of the \"just a bit of chaos\" she wielded in her joust against Mrs. Pulman."

                "She might not have expected it or even wanted it, but she quickly accepted it as a consequence of the \"just a bit of chaos\" she wielded in her joust against Kathleen."

            kat "H-hey, ahh--"

            "Spurred on by having the attention of two beautiful women, even if it was just the fucked up equivalent of cooking ants with a magnifying glass to them, I knew it wouldn't be long until I finally had my release."

            kat "Gah, ah... ha... hmpfh."

            "Although I could feel her eyes on my neck, the old woman continued to milk me."

            "*Cwhup, fwhup, chwup...!*"

            kat "I've somehow ended up feeling like a third wheel."

            "I pawed at both women's breasts with a virgin-like fervor, wholly enamored by an opportunity I might never get again."

            mct "(The head of a charity and a world-class scientist... ha, fucking sluts!)"

            "I felt like a king, not of my own making of course, but my brain was so cooked as to not know the difference. Thinking was hard, but what few thoughts I could miraculously formulate were like tidal waves breaking against the shore."

            mct "(Who the hell do you think you're fucking with? You think you can toy with me just because of money?!)"

            "I felt smothered, suffocated, and hot. More akin to a wick that was about to burn out than a human being."

            mct "(I'M A GUINEA PIG TO YOU?!)"

            "Every sensation felt heightened, and every second felt prolonged... I genuinely feared that the moment I popped would be when I was snuffed out."

            mct "{size=+30}{font=/gui/fonts/MB-Thin_Worms.ttf}(You like to toy with me-){/font}{/size}"

            "My brain gave out, but if I ceased to exist after this, I instinctively knew one thing: these last minutes of my life should be bold."

                "Goad the old woman into letting you finish in her mouth.":

                    mc "I'm about to b-blow..."

                    kat "You don't need my permission."

                    mc "Can you finish me with your mouth?"

                    kat "Hmmmmm, not going to happen."

                    mc "A-ah, pretty please? With a cherry on top?"

                    kat "Why don't you ask Miss Lundgren to do it?"

                    mc "...because I want you, Ma'am."

                    kat "...hmmmmmmmm. You have the eyes of a crazed animal, yet..."

                    kat "You're asking so nicely. God, I love that."

                    "She smirked like she had won against me, and perhaps even against Sophia."

                    kat "It really is goddamn adorable. Ask me again, [mcf]."

                    "A desperate, cloying urge inside me told me her mouth was the only place I wanted to be right now and if it took a bit of pleading to get me into a position where I could fill that mean bitch's stomach with my seed, then so be it."

                    mc "Hhh, haa... would you PLEASE finish me with your mouth, Mrs. Pulman?"

                        "Without another word, Mrs. Pulman lowered herself and..."

                        "Without another word, Kathleen lowered herself and..."

                    mc "G-gah...!"

                    "The moment her lips wrapped themselves around my cock, I felt like I might pass out."

                    "Her seal was so airtight that her mouth felt like an oven. Steady puffs of hot breath passed over the head of my cock as it made its way out through her nose."

                    mc "F-fuck, damn it!"

                    "*Shwuck, fgwhhuck, thwuuuck!&"

                    "What little air could escape from her lungs transformed into {b}obscene{/b} noises as she inched herself up and down my shaft."

                    mc "H-holy-!"

                    "The running narration in my head was a jumbled mess, but through all the muddied noise from the pleasure soaking into my brain, I grasped a simple truth."

                    mc "Hnnng, you've sucked a lot of cock in your time, haven't you?!"

                    "*Thwaahp, fwhap, swhhuck~!*"

                    "The answer to that question played across my glans every time I wedged myself comfortably in her throat with zero fuss."

                    "Swhuck, hhhwhuck, fhhggguuk!*"

                    "{b}Damn it!{/b} A rich woman like her had no business sucking dick this well."

                    mc "Ghhn, haaat, hnnngg...!"

                    "She sucked me with the skill of a woman who had {b}nothing{/b} to her name."

                    kat "Mmmhm, hhmhm~"

                    "Just like her hand job, there was no wasted effort. She didn't tackle it in a clumsy frenzy, nor did she need to cautiously get used to my size."

                    "*Shwhuhuck, fwhhucuk, ghhwhuhuk!*"

                    "She sucked me like she had been sucking {b}my{/b} dick her whole life, pleasuring me at a steady and comfortable pace. I marveled at how, through a mere blowjob, a woman so cold and cruel could instantly imprint herself on my body as warm and welcoming."

                    "I was quickly understanding that \"adorable\" disparity she had just spoken "

                    mc "Hnng, h-how?!"

                    sophia "It's not performing brain surgery."

                        "{b}There{/b} was another perverse delight, speeding me toward my climax. Sophia's attention was on the back of Mrs. Pulman's head, watching intently as she debased herself in pursuit of degrading me."

                        "{b}There{/b} was another perverse delight, speeding me toward my climax. Sophia's attention was on the back of Kathleen's head, watching intently as she debased herself in pursuit of degrading me."

                    mct "(Haaaa... hope you like the show, bitch. You're the impetus for this.)"

                    "*Fwhhuck, ghhhukh, khggguuhhk*"

                    mc "Ahh... y-you dick swallowing--! Hnnngg...!"

                    "It was coming."

                    mc "You think I'm adorable?!"

                    "I was moments from blowing my load, and with it, the indignation from earlier swelled in me. I had wanted a bold finish before I met my end, and well..."

                    mct "(I'll show you adorable!)"

                    mc "I'm c-cumming, fucking drown in it, you damn--"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Mmmmh?!"

                    "Before she could even register what was happening, ropes of piping hot cum barreled down her esophagus on a one-way trip to her stomach."

                    play ambient "sound effects/fel2.wav"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Ghhkka, hkkaa-!"

                    "I pressed down hard, holding the old woman's head in place as she gargled my seed in abject surprise."

                    mc "Hnngg, all of it!"

                    "I pressed down so hard it hurt my groin."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Ghhuk, hhuuuh, hwwwhuuuck...!"

                    "It was massive, like I was cumming my very soul down the old woman's throat."

                    kat "Ghuk, khak, uuhhk-!"

                    mc "Gah, c-choke on it!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    "Not all of my load was making its way down her throat. To my perverse glee, I could {i}feel{/i} myself coating the lining of her throat."

                    kat "Ghhuk, hhuuuk...!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "Hope you like the fucking taste!"

                    kat "Mmmh, hhhngg?!?!"

                    sophia "I don't think she can breathe..."

                    mc "Good! She can breathe when I'm fucking--!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    ".........!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    "......!"

                    mc "A-aahh...!"

                    kat "Ugghhuhh..."

                    "Peace."

                    "Serenity."

                    "Satisfaction."

                    "In this moment, I had it all."

                    "With that, I happily died. The oblivion I felt nipping at my heels finally sank its sharp teeth into my throat."

                    "............"

                    "........."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    kat "Why are you holding your hands out like that? It's weird."

                    mct "(Ah, fuck... I {i}wasn't{/i} dead? {b}Oh no.{/b} Then that meant I just...)"

                    sophia "She's right. It's distracting."

                    "I didn't know how long I was out of it, but by the time I opened my eyes, the two women had collected themselves, and what I thought was a bold display of defiance was made pitiful and wholly expected by their bemused faces."

                        "Mrs. Pulman looked {i}totally{/i} unaffected by my rough treatment, showing no signs of having mercilessly guzzled my cum just moments ago..."

                        "Kathleen looked {i}totally{/i} unaffected by my rough treatment, showing no signs of having mercilessly guzzled my cum just moments ago..."

                    kat "Oh, by the way... you said some pretty outlandish things to me."

                    mc "If I recall, I did more than that..."

                    kat "It was {b}adorable{/b}."

                    "She had indeed won."

                    fel "Gha--"

                "Leave an impression on the doctor.":

                    "I knew what I wanted."

                    sophia "Mmmhh, hhhhh..."

                    "And that last act of defiance would be leaving the doctor, the root cause of all this, something to remember me by."

                    "*Chwup, fhwup~*"

                    "I wanted to hear this aloof bitch moan, so I focused everything on the woman whose mouth I was currently exploring."

                    sophia "Mmmh, hhmmm...?"

                    "It was a battle against my wits. Sophia was literally intoxicating. Focusing my senses all on her had me burning twice as fast."

                    "By instinct, I felt her breast over her clothes."

                    sophia "Mmhh..."

                    "Her coos told me she was receptive, but it wasn't quite the noise I wanted to drag out from the blonde."

                    sophia "Ghu, gha~ghhuu...!"

                    "Deciding that over the clothes touching wouldn't do it, I switched focus on the erogenous zone in her mouth, intensifying my efforts in an intricate dance to subdue her tongue with my own."

                    sophia "Mmmmh, mmhhhh- *chwuph, fhwhup~*"

                    "She wasn't a passive observer in my hunt; her tongue played coy, darting away and slipping from my grasp whenever I thought I had her pinned."

                    "It was mere seconds, but--"

                    "Chwhu, fhwwwup, chup!*"

                    "--but, in my fogged-over state, time held little sway over my perception. What was in reality a clumsy tussle felt like a long and protracted siege."

                    "I don't know if it was because of the perfume, but all bodily sensations gradually began to meld into one."

                    "The feeling of the old woman's hand milking my cock, the wet warmness of our kiss, the bubbling desire so strong that I was confident it would be the end of me..."

                    mc "Mmmh, hhhmmm-!"

                    "All of it spelled an overload melded and combined into a singular feeling of otherness. I was sure I had lost this battle until..."

                    "My brain registered a change."

                    mct "Was she...?"

                    sophia "Mmmh, hhmhm~aahhh...!"

                    "She was closer."

                    "She was pressing into me."

                    "She felt it."

                    "She was {b}heated{/b}."

                    "{i}She was kissing me back.{/i}"

                    "Whether it was done deliberately or on an instinctual level, her body responded favorably."

                    sophia "Ahh, hhhnnggg, mmmmhh-!"

                    "My hand found a place on her ass and I used that to spur her on even more. With this, I had physical confirmation of my success."

                    mct "(Fuck, what a great-!)"

                    "I could feel the hot dampness of her delicate spot."

                    sophia "Mmhh, hhaa...♥♥♥"

                    "She purred openly and I felt a petty relief over my trivial victory. The succubus driving me to this desperate state wouldn't escape our battle unscathed."

                    "*Chwup, fhwwup, khwwup*!"

                    "--and that wasn't the only sense of relief I felt."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "{b}Hnng, ah-!!!{/b}"

                    "I didn't know when it started, but ropes of cum geysered from my cock and rained down from the sky."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "Ghh, aaahh- sssshit--"

                    kat "Huh, {b}WOW{/b}."

                    mc "Hngg, hhhhmmmhh-~"

                    "All the suffocating vileness in me was expelled and released into the world. All my desperation spilled out onto our clothes and thighs."

                    "Soon need was replaced with..."

                    "Peace."

                    "Serenity."

                    "Satisfaction."

                    "Emptiness."

                    "The oblivion I felt nipping at my heels finally sank its sharp teeth into my throat."

                    "I was dead."

                    "............"

                    "........."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    sophia "Great, now we'll spend the rest of the show reeking of semen."

                    mct "(Ah, fuck... I {i}wasn't{/i} dead? {b}Oh no.{/b} Then that meant I just...)"

                    kat "You should've thought of that before you entered the crossfire."

                    sophia "You were taking too long. I wanted to put an end to the distraction."

                    "I didn't know how long I was out of it. Still, by the time I opened my eyes, the two women had collected themselves. The damage I thought I had done to Sophia with my counter-attack was made pitiful by their bemused faces."

                    kat "Oh, please. Are those the kind of sounds you make matter-of-factly?"

                    "Sophia looked as composed as ever, and except for a little blush, her attention turned back to the Carnations."

                    kat "I hope that provided you a measure of relief, Mr. [mcl]. That certainly was an... {i}explosive{/i} finish."

                    mc "A, ahem... thaaaaaanks?"

                    kat "Don't mention it. It was... interesting."

                    fel "Gha--"

            mc "........."

            mc "......"

            play sound "sound effects/record-scratch.wav"

            "...this was my limit."

            mc "Aaeeh, I'll be riiiiiight back."

            "......"

            "..."

            kat "Is that a milder scent you are wearing?"

            sophia "It's the same batch as the bottle I gave you."

            kat "The effect seemed... less? Why's that?"

            sophia "It's possible that his body adapted and partially metabolized the odor molecules. All I can say is that it's remarkable he held out that long."

            sophia "It could be a matter of willpower."

            kat "When I had dinner with Charles the other night, he didn't even flinch."

            sophia "Dr. Kohler is a scary man."

            kat "Is that your appraisal after demolishing him game after game?"

            sophia "How else should I describe a man who has no need but keeps his passions tightly controlled"

            kat "That's why he and I are incompatible. He treats fucking like it's Christmas."

            kat "You don't have anything to worry about as long as you don't lose."

            sophia "I don't plan on it, but I have a feeling he eventually wins one way or another."

            kat "Abel wouldn't let it come to that, would he?"

            "......"

            "..."

            sophia "Thank you for indulging my little whim, Kathleen. It was amusing."

            kat "Don't mention it. One should make their own fun in life. Still..."

            kat "...you're very competent. Don't you ever desire more?"

            sophia "A frivolous bitch like you has no business saying that to me."

            kat "Ah, fuck. There it is."

            kat "I almost felt sorry for you."

        play music "music/landing.ogg"

        fel "--aaahhhhnn! It's t-to-tooooooo muuuuchh!"

        ver "C'mon, Blondie... A woman like you would be able to take as much."

        fel "Gghh, hhhhhnnnggaaaaaawwwah! It's fucking strong!"

        mct "(Right, I was so caught up in my lust that I had forgotten that this was still happening...)"

        fel "Gh, hhnngg, hhnnngg...! Oh, hhhhnngngg...! N-no!"

        ver "Hmmm? This is what you asked for, isn't it?"

        fel "T-the vibe is m-moving the beads and m-making me wanna--"

        ver "Pee? Well, you did drink three water bottles..."

        rose "You planned this?"

        ver "Well, I had to pull my weight for this \"game\", right?"

        fel "It f-feels to-ttoooo good, but I d-don't w-wanna...!"

        ver "You don't want to piss yourself like an idiot in front of your future club members?"

        fel "Ghh, hh--"

        ver "What an odd fucking line to draw, huh? You think volunteering for this gives you a veneer of dignity?"

        ver "Newsflash: sluts like you don't have any dignity."

        rose "Eh, don't you think you're being too mean?"

        fel "Gghhh, f-hhh--"

        ver "Mean? You and I are fighting for our futures, and she's just a bored rich bitch looking for a kick."

        ver "I'm just letting her know she isn't shit... for the purpose of the game, you know..."

        rose "Right, yeah... the game."

        fel "Why should I care about your sob stories? It d-doesn't matter who wins; it only matters if you lose!"

        fel "Do you think Rose will give a shit if you win over me? It's all the same to her as it would be to you!"

        ver "Oh, yeah?"

        fel "That's right! You should be happy to have a bored rich bitch as your opponent! Would you rather three desperate people get paraded like show dogs over two?! Why the hell are you even thinking about me?!"

        fel "Focus on winning you--- gah, you're so fucking short-sight--"

        fel "Gh, hhuhukhhh...?!"

        ver "Just shut up and piss yourself, you fucking cumrag."

        fel "Mmmhhh, mmhmhh, hnnnggg!"

        ver "When you lose, you can go back to your damn penthouse! Take a dip in your pool! Eat your fancy grub!"

        ver "A good price for your dignity, because I'm certainly selling mine for much less!"

        ver "..."

        fel "Hnnngg, hhh--"

        fel "Mmmhh, mmggmmhhh, hhhmmm--"

        rose "Hey..."

        fel "UUUhh, hhhehhhh---"

        rose "You alright...?"

        ver "Yeah, I'm fine, Rosie... I just thought being in the driver's seat would be more fun."

        rose "That's what I mean; we all still have our dignity. None of this has--"

        fel "Mmhmhwwahhahahh, ghhgaaa-a---hhhhhaaa"

        ver "There she goes. Well..."

        fel "Hnnhhsshwwwiiiitt, n-nooohhh, fhhhkk---"

        ver "This {i}was{/i} kinda fun..."

        fel "Hnnggg..."

        rose "Better her than us, at least."

        "As things came to a close, I was left with a prickly thought."

        "That was as honest as they had ever been with each other."

        fel "It's kinda obvious, but you don't really like me, do you?"

        ver "What the f-fuck does that matter, Blondie?"

        fel "It matters because you're the one tied up right now."

        ver "Hnnng... I like you just fine?"

        fel "No, you don't, Red. You've never hidden it before, don't try and hide the truth now just because you're in the palm of who's asking."

        fel "It's out of character."

        ver "Again, w-what does it matter? Just hurry up and get rolling!"

        fel "I know you think I'm frivolous and undeserving - and that's okay; I get where you're coming from."

        ver "Oh, just shut up! If you don't start, how about you just kill me?"

        ver "How about you, Rosie? Will you p-put me out of my m-misery here?"

        rose "Heh, I'd like to start, but uh... she's got the lead right now. I wouldn't want to interrupt and be rude."

        fel "I'm going to be nice to you, Red. I'm going to treat you how I'd like to be treated."

        fel "I know you don't care about this either, but I like you. I really do."

        ver "Yeah, riiiiiight..."

        fel "Oh, c'mon. I've caught you stealing glances before."

        fel "I'm used to people looking down on me and I'm also used to those same people wanting to fuck me."

        fel "{b}You{/b} want to fuck me, Red. Admit it."

        ver "G-gah, you're fucking full of yourself!"

        ver "Mmmh, hhmmmm?!"

        "Felicia, as if on cue, kissed Veronica's neck. Nothing exaggerated, just something..."

        ver "Mmmmhn, mmmhh...!"

        "Just something to make her point."

        fel "You're about to be full of something too."

        ver "W-what are you...? Ah, f-f--"

        fel "Just sit back and enjoy. Don't go anywhere."

        fel "Oh, by the way... you have [mcf] to thank for this part. He taught me just how effective these little devils are."

            fel "For the record, I managed four of these."

            fel "For the record, I managed three of these."

            kat "Oh, aren't you proud, Mr. [mcl]? It sounds like you left an impression on the girl."

            "In my current over-cooked state, what was playing out on the television screen was a muddled mess of pixels that barely registered meaning to me."

            kat "Although, honestly... I bet our slut wife friend could've handled five."

            "No, in my current state, my mind was completely consumed by the old woman's grip on my cock."

            mc "H-haahaa...!"

            kat "Still, all this talk about being nice. Did she forget this is supposed to be a punishment?"

            sophia "You know very well it can be both. You're the one who arranged the tools."

            kat "You're right... it might feel good, but she will resent being at their mercy. She's too pathetically predictable."

            mc "G-gahh...!"

            "The pitiful noise of a rutting animal punctuated the women's conversation."

            kat "...ah, I love it! I really do love Miss Lynch. I wish I had more than a month with her."

            sophia "You have a {i}unique{/i} sense of aesthetics, Kathleen."

            kat "Well, what do you find hot, Miss Lundgren? I'm genuinely curious..."

            mc "Huuuhghh...!"

            kat "What gets a woman like you going?"

            mc "H-huhh... ack...!"

            sophia "You ever give much thought to what makes your skin itch? I tend not to pontificate over my bodily responses."

            kat "Unlike me, you mean?"

            sophia "When I feel an itch, I simply scratch it."

            kat "We got that in common at least - {b}all three of us.{/b}"

            sophia "Stop distracting me. I'm trying to watch--"

            kat "Oh, aren't you proud, Mr. [mcl]? It sounds like you left an impression on the girl."

            "In my current over-cooked state, what was playing out on the television screen was a muddled mess of pixels that barely registered meaning to me."

            kat "Although, honestly... I bet our slut wife friend could've handled five."

            kat "Still, all this talk about being nice. Did she forget this is supposed to be a punishment?"

            mc "She... ah..."

            sophia "You know very well it can be both. You're the one who arranged the tools."

            kat "You're right... it might feel good, but she will resent being at their mercy. She's too pathetically predictable."

            kat "...ah, I love it! I really do love Miss Lynch. I wish I had more than a month with her."

            sophia "You have a {i}unique{/i} sense of aesthetics, Kathleen."

            kat "Well, what do you find hot, Miss Lundgren? I'm genuinely curious... what gets a woman like you going?"

            sophia "You ever give much thought to what makes your skin itch? I tend not to pontificate over my bodily responses."

            kat "Unlike me, you mean?"

            sophia "When I feel an itch, I simply scratch it."

            kat "Oh, lovely, at least we have that in common."

            sophia "Stop distracting me. I'm trying to watch--"

        play music "music/addict.ogg"

        play sound "sound effects/vib-start.wav"

        fel "...and THREE!"

        $ renpy.music.set_volume(.4, 0, channel = "ambient")

        play ambient "sound effects/vib-ongoing.wav"

        fel "You had no trouble whatsoever. They just slid right in there!"

        ver "N-no shit, I'm fucking drippi-- gaaah, whwahaaha!"

        fel "Yeah, I know. [mcf] had a whole remote, but I don't. So you're just going to have to deal with \"on\" for as long as they're in you."

        ver "Hnnngg hhhaaaaa..."

        fel "Now, I said I would be nice, but there's two of us - and Rosie isn't as sweet as she pretends to be, are you beautiful?"

        $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 0, channel = "ambient")

        rose "Ah... don't blame me... one of us has to be the bad cop..."

        rose "It's part of the game, right?"

        ver "Ghh, hhhngngg--"

        fel "That's not very convincing when you're smiling, Rosie. It's nice having the shoe on the other foot?"

        rose "Not at all..."

        fel "Would you rather switch places?"

        rose "I... uh... didn't say that either."

        fel "Might as well enjoy it then. There's no need for pretenses between us."

        fel "Let your mask come off."

        rose "T-tha, aahh... w-why are you?"

        fel "Oh, right. Your tits are like mega-sensitive."

        fel "My bad. Don't want to undermine your part here. What do you got cooking?"

        rose "Well, uhhh... I just thought about what might work on me and... that position you're in, with your chest out... I just know that I would..."

        rose "It's better if I just show you."

        fel "Well, whatever. Remember, you get the front, I got the back. We're going to two team this slut."

        fel "Get ready to have your mind melted, Red!"

        ver "Ghh... hnnanaa, I'm already m-melting, you--"

        ver "G-gahhh, your tongue's not going to--"

            ver "...fiiiiiiiiIIITIiiitttttthhh--!!!"

            kat "I'm surprised you haven't soiled my hand yet."

            mc "Hnngg!"

            kat "I know one time won't suffice. You don't have to fear; I'll milk you as much as you require~"

            "At this point, a stiff breeze would have gotten me off, but for how slow it was, the old woman's technique was thorough and {i}immaculate{/i} in its consistency. She never slowed down or sped up; she just jerked me like her wrist operated on a piston."

            mc "G-ahh, s-shut the fuck up and just k-keep--!"

            "The real magic lay in how she used her pinky, tracing its black nail up and down the underside of my shaft, never deviating a single millimeter from the same tract of overwrought nerve endings."

            kat "*Whisper* You should speak kindly to someone doing you a favor, [mcf]."

            mc "*Gulp* H-a, haa... favor...? Yeah right..."

            "It was like the words apparated on my lips without even being thought of. I said what I felt without control or filter."

            mc "T-take a sit and spin on it if you really want to do me a favor!"

            kat "You're adorable right now, you know that?"

            ver "G-uhaaah, y-you're pullingtheeehhmopffhh---!"

            kat "Oh! Look at them stretch!"

            ver "...fiiiiiiiiIIITIiiitttttthhh--!!!"

            kat "Well, well, well... this is taking an interesting turn."

            kat "Oh, how I wish there were two of me."

            mc "Hhhngg... y-yeah..."

            mct "(I couldn't argue against that...)"

            "With the way I counted it, I had a couple of options for managing my sickening arousal."

            "I could let my mind wander, try to think of something else... but invariably, my senses fell on the women next to me, to the curves of their busts and their waists..."

            "These two women were so far above me... the old woman decades my senior. Sophia, a brilliant scientist... it was so easy to imagine the delight in grabbing one of them right now and just--"

            mct "(Y-yeah... no... I should focus on what's playing out in front of me...)"

            "The other option was to let Kathleen's game preoccupy my attention."

            kat "A-aah..."

            mct "(...that's gotta be the best way of dealing with this, right?"

            kat "Do you need to be excused, Mr. [mcl]? Perhaps you need to go to the bathroom?"

            mc "N-no, I'm f-fine..."

            "She teased me, and strangely, I felt an unusual rush of pride. Of course, it was irrational, but that would be akin to losing..."

            "Losing what and to who, I did not know... but my willpower... I was stronger than this..."

            mct "(I ain't a fucking animal... right?)"

            ver "G-uhaaah, y-you're pullingtheeehhmopffhh---!"

            kat "Oh! Look at them stretch!"

        "Back on screen, they were indeed doubling up on poor Veronica."

        ver "MMmh, hhhhhmm-!"

        "Felicia explored the Amazon's business end with her tongue, while Rosalind frenched the redheaded woman and roughly tugged at her nipples."

        ver "Ha, mmmwwwhaa~"

        "It wasn't what came to mind when I pictured \"bad cop\", but it wrenched muffled cries from Veronica's throat."

        ver "*Chwu, fwwhhup-!* Wwwhhaaauh-!"

        "Attacked on both ends, with Dr. Lundgren's poison coursing through her veins, she had little choice but to moan, jerk, and writhe as her brain was inundated with more endorphins than it knew what to do with."

        "*Chwup, fhwup, khhwwup-!*"

        ver "Mmmhh... Hnn..."

        "As the pair persisted, the sweet sounds of lust pouring out from the tv's speakers became more agreeable and proactive."

        ver "Ghh, hhhaaa...♥♥ Mmmmhh...♥♥♥"

        "She was into it."

        ver "Hhhhyyeah, hhhhh-♥♥♥"

        "She was {i}definitely{/i} into it."

        "*Chwaup, fhhwwup!*"

        "The only distinction to be made lay in whether it was done for the camera's benefit or to egg the sources of her pleasure on."

        mct "(G-ahh...!)"

        "What was certain was that the unrestrained sounds of the physically restrained Amazon poured fuel on my already out-of-control lust."

        ver "*Shlick, fwhhick-!* Ghhh♥♥♥"

        "Meanwhile, dwarfed by Veronica's wide ass, Felicia was proving herself to be a dutiful cunt licker."

        ver "Dmmhmhheeeht! Hnnn...!"

        "At this angle, her exact technique was left a mystery for the camera, but even when you factored in Veronica's heightened state..."

        ver "Ghhh, mmmh, hhhtwwwahht♥♥♥♥♥♥"

        "You could tell she was putting on a riveting performance."

        "So the two carried on for about a minute or an eternity, not a single one slowing down."

        "Felicia licked, Rosalind manhandled, and Veronica accepted what the two offered - all until the MILF pulled herself from her lips."

        rose "Mhh-ahh... haa...!"

        ver "W-what--♥♥ ahhh, that--hwwwha~!!!"

        rose "Wo-woah... I feel lightheaded... "

        ver "Ah... that w-was... I mean, w-what is it, my birthday? Heh, haa...♥♥"

        rose "Ha, hope that was alright... you should always begin foreplay with a kiss."

        ver "T-that, aahhh, a p-personal rule of yours...?"

        rose "...more of a wish?"

        ver "Y-you {b}-hnnn!-{/b} e-ever kiss a-"

        rose "First time."

        ver "Well, aren't I spe-"

        play sound "sound effects/vib-start.wav"

        "*Bzzzt, bzzzzt, bzzzzt!!!!*"

        ver "Hnn...! Fuck! {b}Y-you're moving them around with y-your tongue?!{/b}"

        "*Bzzzt, bzzzzt, bzzzzt!!!!*"

        ver "Gyyy-♥♥♥♥♥♥. Y-you sure y-you're s-straight, Blondie?!"

        ver "You're better at that than h-half the--"

        ver "{b}Hhhhnnn--♥♥♥ What do you got t-there?{/b}"

        rose "This? This is going up your keist-- *ahem."

        rose "{b}I mean{/b}, this is going up your ass, you... slut."

        ver "Ahh, hhaaa... y-you're not very convincing in that role, Rosie -- and besides, c'mon... it's kinda already -hnnn!- crowded b-back there!"

        rose "We'll see about that."

        "..."

        play ambient "sound effects/vib-ongoing.wav"

        $ renpy.music.set_volume(.5, 0, channel = "ambient")

        rose "Swap sides with me for a minute, will you?"

        "*Shlick, fwhick, fwhick-!*"

        fel "E-eh...?"

        rose "Swap sides with me."

        ver "Seriously, I don't think that's going to--"

        ver "*Bzzzzt!* {b}Gaaahfffeeiiiiiit!{/b} Hnn...!!!"

        fel "Of course it will fit. A big girl like her has plenty of room."

        ver "Gh, hhh-- f-fuck!"

        rose "You're tight..."

        ver "Of c-course I am - ahh... I don't use my ass for s-stuff like this!"

        ver "*Bzzzzt!* {b}Dddhhhhmmnit, it's m-making them r-rattle! G-gahhh...!"

        rose "Come on, honey. You can take it. Don't push ba--"

        ver "Ynnnggg-♥♥♥♥ S-sh-eeehhtt!"

            rose "Good job! I knew you could do it."

            kat "It's always interesting when you give a woman like Rosalind the opportunity to take the reins. They're so stressed, pent up, inhibited..."

            ver "Yyhhhhoooooohhhh♥♥♥♥♥"

            kat "They don't show you their true colors as much as their whole color palette blends together in one fucked up mix. I wonder where this will go."

            mc "H-hhhhngg...!"

            "Like hell my mind was registering any of her bullshit right now."

            ver "H-heuuuh?! Y-you're gonna use t-that t-too?!"

            sophia "You counted on this kind of... {i}fervor{/i}?"

            mc "H-a, hnnggaa..."

            "The inside of my head was mush right now. My capacity for language was utterly eroded."

            kat "I've been doing this for a long time. Before the club, I had my {i}other{/i} enterprises."

            kat "I'm well acquainted with the peculiar ways people in desperate situations respond. In a way, it's a more potent means of control than any drug."

            sophia "I'm actually impressed for once."

            kat "You shouldn't be. I'm an amateur when compared to someone like your owner."

            kat "I think the way Van Doren has you under his thumb is much more impressive."

            sophia "Thank you."

            kat "You took that as a compliment?"

            sophia "Of course I did. Abel only has the best things."

            ver "Huh... that's an interesting direction..."

            kat "Your self-awareness in your choice of words is commendable, dear."

            rose "Good job! I knew you could do it."

            kat "It's always interesting when you give a woman like Rosalind the opportunity to take the reins. They're so stressed, pent up, inhibited..."

            ver "Yyhhhhoooooohhhh♥♥♥♥♥"

            kat "They don't show you their true colors as much as their whole color palette blends together in one fucked up mix. I wonder where this will go."

            "To my annoyance, whenever one of them spoke, my attention would turn back to just how fuckable the women next to me were. "

            ver "H-heuuuh?! Y-you're gonna use t-that t-too?!"

            sophia "You counted on this kind of... {i}fervor{/i}?"

            mct "(Christ, I want to make that mouthy hag choke on my dick until she passes out!)"

            "Intrusive thought upon intrusive thought flooded my head."

            kat "I've been doing this for a long time. Before the club, I had my {i}other{/i} enterprises."

            kat "I'm well acquainted with the peculiar ways people in desperate situations respond. In a way, it's a more potent means of control than any drug."

            sophia "I'm actually impressed for once."

            kat "You shouldn't be. I'm an amateur when compared to someone like your Master."

            kat "I think the way Van Doren has you under his thumb is much more impressive."

            sophia "Thank you."

            kat "You took that as a compliment?"

            sophia "Of course I did. Abel only has the best things."

            ver "Huh... that's an interesting direction..."

            kat "Your self-awareness in your choice of words is commendable, dear."

        play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

        "*Thwick!*"

        ver "O-ohhh, gghhh..."

        rose"This is..."

        play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

        "*Thwick!*"

            rose "This is just like when you and Felicia went head-to-head in the first week."

            play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

            "*Thwick!*"

            rose "I didn't experience what it was like to have your butt smacked while it was so stuffed."

            rose "This is just like when you and I went head-to-head in the first week."

            play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

            "*Thwick!*"

            rose "We both know what it's like to have your butt clamp down with every impact."

            rose "This is just like when Felicia and I went head-to-head in the first week."

            play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

            "*Thwick!*"

            rose "You didn't experience what it was like to get your butt smacked while it was stuffed."

        play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

        "*Thwick!*"

        ver "Gyjhhh- hhhgnnngg-♥♥♥"

        rose "We should all be used to this sort of play by now..."

        ver "Gah, fuck you! Switch places with me and we'll s-see what kind of ugly sounds y-you make!"

        rose "Fuck me...?"

        rose "You were so tough when we were getting shocked. You know, if I'm being honest... {b}it was actually irritating.{/b}"

        play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

        "*Thwick!*"

        ver "Ghh, oohoh--oogogohohhhhhh--"

        play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

        "*Thwick!*"

        fel "Holy shit, Red. Your pussy is amazing!"

        rose "Can I ask you something? Why do you act like you're better than Felicia? Better than me?"

        fel "{size=10}Seriously... it was strong enough to...{/size}"

        ver "W-what, hhhaaa.. n-no I don't?!"

        fel "{size=10}I mean, imagine if you were taking a...{/size}"

        rose "You constantly act like you're too good to be here."

        ver "Hnn... wwhhhaay"

        rose "I swallow my pride, yet you always run your mouth and just say what I'm thinking too."

        rose "It's annoying. It's fucking arrogant! It's..."

        "........."

        "......"

        "..."

        fel "Don't take it personally. I think she's madder at herself than you."

        ver "Huuuaahh, s-shut the fuck up--"

        rose "Shut up!"

        fel "Bah, you fucking bitches."

        rose "I was thinking..."

        rose "...why should we do any work when we could just let some batteries and gravity do it for us?"

            kat "I'm starting to get offended, Mr. [mcl]. Does my hand not suffice?"

            kat "Don't you want to taste release?"

            mc "G-gah, f-fuck! It's not like I have any control over it!"

            sophia "Hmm..."

            "Every fiber of my being desperately anticipated climax. My reason had been eroded and my purpose replaced by the critical need to expunge every trace of nauseating desire from my body through my cock."

            "The hairs on my arm stood on end, the feeling in my extremities came and went like the tide, and a pervasive tingling feeling floated from my neck down to my tailbone - by all means, my body told me that I {b}should{/b} be coming."

            sophia "Interesting."

            "But I wasn't. My bloated dick burned against the soft palm of the old woman's hand, pulsating and twitching from the ceaseless stimulation, filling me with the irrational fear that I might literally explode if I didn't soon go careening into the void of sexual release."

            sophia "All things considered, he is showing a {b}surprising{/b} degree of longevity..."

            kat "Maybe your fragrance isn't as effective as you think it is."

            mc "G-gaahh!"

            sophia "Maybe..."

            mct "(No! It was definitely fucking effective!)"

            sophia "...but unlikely. Hey, [mcf]..."

            "Through lidded eyes, I could sense the blonde scooching closer and closer."

            sophia "The issue is that a young, well-traveled guy like you simply can't get off on an old woman's touch, right?"

            mc "That's not--"

            sophia "{b}{i}Isn't it?{/b}{/i}"

            "Even in my lust-addled state..."

            "My brain registered amazement over the willful way Sophia flipped the switch, going from detached aloofness to a man-killer just as easily as one would shed their clothes. "

            mc "Hnngg...!"

            kat "*Scoff* Feeling left out, were you?"

            sophia "Give them a comparison."

            "My hand responded independently, sinking into the pleasant give of the doctor's tit-flesh in an instant as what remained of my faculties disappeared into the whirlpool of her eyes."

            sophia "You got a mess lurking somewhere in there that you want to get out?"

            mc "Ha... hnngg...! F-fuck it!"

            sophia "...?!"

            "I kissed her, just as you'd expect a man on the brink of starvation to steal a loaf of bread."

            sophia "Mmmhhhh....!"

                "She might not have expected it or even wanted it, but she quickly accepted it as a consequence of the \"just a bit of chaos\" she wielded in her joust against Mrs. Pulman."

                "She might not have expected it or even wanted it, but she quickly accepted it as a consequence of the \"just a bit of chaos\" she wielded in her joust against Kathleen."

            kat "H-hey, ahh--"

            "Spurred on by having the attention of two beautiful women, even if it was just the fucked up equivalent of cooking ants with a magnifying glass to them, I knew it wouldn't be long until I finally had my release."

            kat "Gah, ah... ha... hmpfh."

            "Although I could feel her eyes on my neck, the old woman continued to milk me."

            "*Cwhup, fwhup, chwup...!*"

            kat "I've somehow ended up feeling like a third wheel."

            "I pawed at both women's breasts with a virgin-like fervor, wholly enamored by an opportunity I might never get again."

            mct "(The head of a charity and a world-class scientist... ha, fucking sluts!)"

            "I felt like a king, not of my own making of course, but my brain was so cooked as to not know the difference. Thinking was hard, but what few thoughts I could miraculously formulate were like tidal waves breaking against the shore."

            mct "(Who the hell do you think you're fucking with? You think you can toy with me just because of money?!)"

            "I felt smothered, suffocated, and hot. More akin to a wick that was about to burn out than a human being."

            mct "(I'M A GUINEA PIG TO YOU?!)"

            "Every sensation felt heightened, and every second felt prolonged... I genuinely feared that the moment I popped would be when I was snuffed out."

            mct "{size=+30}{font=/gui/fonts/MB-Thin_Worms.ttf}(You like to toy with pe-){/font}{/size}"

            "My brain gave out, but if I ceased to exist after this, I instinctively knew one thing: these last minutes of my life should be bold."

                "Goad the old woman into letting you finish in her mouth.":

                    mc "I'm about to b-blow..."

                    kat "You don't need my permission."

                    mc "Can you finish me with your mouth?"

                    kat "Hmmmmm, not going to happen."

                    mc "A-ah, pretty please? With a cherry on top?"

                    kat "Why don't you ask Miss Lundgren to do it?"

                    mc "...because I want you, Ma'am."

                    kat "...hmmmmmmmm. You have the eyes of a crazed animal, yet..."

                    kat "You're asking so nicely. God, I love that."

                    "She smirked like she had won against me, and perhaps even against Sophia."

                    kat "It really is goddamn adorable. Ask me again, [mcf]."

                    "A desperate, cloying urge inside me told me her mouth was the only place I wanted to be right now and if it took a bit of pleading to get me into a position where I could fill that mean bitch's stomach with my seed, then so be it."

                    mc "Hhh, haa... would you PLEASE finish me with your mouth, Mrs. Pulman?"

                        "Without another word, Mrs. Pulman lowered herself and..."

                        "Without another word, Kathleen lowered herself and..."

                    mc "G-gah...!"

                    "The moment her lips wrapped themselves around my cock, I felt like I might pass out."

                    "Her seal was so airtight that her mouth felt like an oven. Steady puffs of hot breath passed over the head of my cock as it made its way out through her nose."

                    mc "F-fuck, damn it!"

                    "*Shwuck, fgwhhuck, thwuuuck!"

                    "What little air could escape from her hold transformed into {b}obscene{/b} noises as she inched herself up and down my shaft."

                    mc "H-holy-!"

                    "The running narration in my head was a jumbled mess, but through all the muddied noise from the pleasure soaking into my brain, I grasped a simple truth."

                    mc "Hnnng, you've sucked a lot of cock in your time, haven't you?!"

                    "*Thwaahp, fwhap, swhhuck~!*"

                    "The answer to that question played across my glans every time I wedged myself comfortably in her throat with zero fuss."

                    "Swhuck, hhhwhuck, fhhggguuk!*"

                    "{b}Damn it!{/b} A rich woman like her had no business sucking dick this well."

                    mc "Ghhn, haaat, hnnngg...!"

                    "She sucked me with the skill of a woman who had {b}nothing{/b} to her name."

                    kat "Mmmhm, hhmhm~"

                    "Just like her hand job, there was no wasted effort. She didn't tackle it in a clumsy frenzy, nor did she need to cautiously get used to my size."

                    "*Shwhuhuck, fwhhucuk, ghhwhuhuk!*"

                    "She sucked me like she had been sucking {b}my{/b} dick her whole life, pleasuring me at a steady and comfortable pace. I marveled at how, through a mere blowjob, a woman so cold and cruel could instantly imprint herself on my body as warm and welcoming."

                    "I was quickly understanding that \"adorable\" disparity she had just spoken."

                    mc "Hnng, h-how?!"

                    sophia "It's not performing brain surgery."

                        "{b}There{/b} was another perverse delight, speeding me toward my climax. Sophia's attention was on the back of Mrs. Pulman's head, watching intently as she debased herself in pursuit of degrading me."

                        "{b}There{/b} was another perverse delight, speeding me toward my climax. Sophia's attention was on the back of Kathleen's head, watching intently as she debased herself in pursuit of degrading me."

                    mct "(Haaaa... hope you like the show, bitch. You're the impetus for this.)"

                    "*Fwhhuck, ghhhukh, khggguuhhk*"

                    mc "Ahh... y-you dick swallowing--! Hnnngg...!"

                    "It was coming."

                    mc "You think I'm adorable?!"

                    "I was moments from blowing my load, and with it, the indignation from earlier swelled in me. I had wanted a bold finish before I met my end, and well..."

                    mct "(I'll show you adorable!)"

                    mc "I'm c-cumming, fucking drown in it, you damn--"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Mmmmh?!"

                    "Before she could even register what was happening, ropes of piping hot cum barreled down her esophagus on a one-way trip to her stomach."

                    play ambient "sound effects/fel2.wav"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Ghhkka, hkkaa-!"

                    "I pressed down hard, holding the old woman's head in place as she gargled my seed in abject surprise."

                    mc "Hnngg, all of it!"

                    "I pressed down so hard it hurt my groin."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Ghhuk, hhuuuh, hwwwhuuuck...!"

                    "It was massive, like I was cumming my very soul down the old woman's throat."

                    kat "Ghuk, khak, uuhhk-!"

                    mc "Gah, c-choke on it!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    "Not all of my load was making its way down her throat. To my perverse glee, I could {i}feel{/i} myself coating the lining of her throat."

                    kat "Ghhuk, hhuuuk...!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "Hope you like the fucking taste!"

                    kat "Mmmh, hhhngg?!?!"

                    sophia "I don't think she can breathe..."

                    mc "Good! She can breathe when I'm fucking--!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    ".........!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    "......!"

                    mc "A-aahh...!"

                    kat "Ugghhuhh..."

                    "Peace."

                    "Serenity."

                    "Satisfaction."

                    "In this moment, I had it all."

                    "With that, I happily died. The oblivion I felt nipping at my heels finally sank its sharp teeth into my throat."

                    "............"

                    "........."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    kat "Why are you holding your hands out like that? It's weird."

                    mct "(Ah, fuck... I {i}wasn't{/i} dead? {b}Oh no.{/b} Then that meant I just...)"

                    sophia "She's right. It's distracting."

                    "I didn't know how long I was out of it, but by the time I opened my eyes, the two women had collected themselves, and what I thought was a bold display of defiance was made pitiful and wholly expected by their bemused faces."

                        "Mrs. Pulman looked {i}totally{/i} unaffected by my rough treatment, showing no signs of having mercilessly guzzled my cum just moments ago..."

                        "Kathleen looked {i}totally{/i} unaffected by my rough treatment, showing no signs of having mercilessly guzzled my cum just moments ago..."

                    kat "Oh, by the way... you said some pretty outlandish things to me."

                    mc "If I recall, I did a bit more than that..."

                    kat "It was {b}adorable{/b}."

                    "She had indeed won."

                    ver "Ghh, hhaan, streetthhhchggingg-!!!"

                "Leave an impression on the doctor.":

                    "I knew what I wanted."

                    sophia "Mmmhh, hhhhh..."

                    "And that last act of defiance would be leaving the doctor, the root cause of all this, something to remember me by."

                    "*Chwup, fhwup~*"

                    "I wanted to hear this aloof bitch moan, so I focused everything on the woman whose mouth I was currently exploring."

                    sophia "Mmmh, hhmmm...?"

                    "It was a battle against my wits. Sophia was literally intoxicating. Focusing my senses all on her had me burning twice as fast."

                    "By instinct, I felt her breast over her clothes."

                    sophia "Mmhh..."

                    "Her coos told me she was receptive, but it wasn't quite the noise I wanted to drag out from the blonde."

                    sophia "Ghu, gha~ghhuu...!"

                    "Deciding that over the clothes touching wouldn't do it, I switched focus on the erogenous zone in her mouth, intensifying my efforts in an intricate dance to subdue her tongue with my own."

                    sophia "Mmmmh, mmhhhh- *chwuph, fhwhup~*"

                    "She wasn't a passive observer in my hunt; her tongue played coy, darting away and slipping from my grasp whenever I thought I had her pinned."

                    "It was mere seconds, but--"

                    "Chwhu, fhwwwup, chup!*"

                    "--but, in my fogged-over state, time held little sway over my perception. What was in reality a clumsy tussle felt like a long and protracted siege."

                    "I don't know if it was because of the perfume, but all bodily sensations gradually began to meld into one."

                    "The feeling of the old woman's hand milking my cock, the wet warmness of our kiss, the bubbling desire so strong that I was confident it would be the end of me..."

                    mc "Mmmh, hhhmmm-!"

                    "All of it spelled an overload melded and combined into a singular feeling of otherness. I was sure I had lost this battle until..."

                    "My brain registered a change."

                    mct "Was she...?"

                    sophia "Mmmh, hhmhm~aahhh...!"

                    "She was closer."

                    "She was pressing into me."

                    "She felt it."

                    "She was {b}heated{/b}."

                    "{i}She was kissing me back.{/i}"

                    "Whether it was done deliberately or on an instinctual level, her body responded favorably."

                    sophia "Ahh, hhhnnggg, mmmmhh-!"

                    "My hand found a place on her ass and I used that to spur her on even more. With this, I had physical confirmation of my success."

                    mct "(Fuck, what a great-!)"

                    "I could feel the hot dampness of her delicate spot."

                    sophia "Mmhh, hhaa...♥♥♥"

                    "She purred openly and I felt a petty relief over my trivial victory. The succubus driving me to this desperate state wouldn't escape our battle unscathed."

                    "*Chwup, fhwwup, khwwup*!"

                    "--and that wasn't the only sense of relief I felt."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "{b}Hnng, ah-!!!{/b}"

                    "I didn't know when it started, but ropes of cum geysered from my cock and rained down from the sky."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "Ghh, aaahh- sssshit--"

                    kat "Huh, {b}WOW{/b}."

                    mc "Hngg, hhhhmmmhh-~"

                    "All the suffocating vileness in me was expelled and released into the world. All my desperation spilled out onto our clothes and thighs."

                    "Soon need was replaced with..."

                    "Peace."

                    "Serenity."

                    "Satisfaction."

                    "Emptiness."

                    "The oblivion I felt nipping at my heels finally sank its sharp teeth into my throat."

                    "I was dead."

                    "............"

                    "........."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    sophia "Great, now we'll spend the rest of the show reeking of semen."

                    mct "(Ah, fuck... I {i}wasn't{/i} dead? {b}Oh no.{/b} Then that meant I just...)"

                    kat "You should've thought of that before you entered the crossfire."

                    sophia "You were taking too long. I wanted to put an end to the distraction."

                    "I didn't know how long I was out of it. Still, by the time I opened my eyes, the two women had collected themselves. The damage I thought I had done to Sophia with my counter-attack was made pitiful by their bemused faces."

                    kat "Oh, please. Are those the kind of sounds you make matter-of-factly?"

                    "Sophia looked as composed as ever, and except for a little blush, her attention turned back to the Carnations."

                    kat "I hope that provided you a measure of relief, Mr. [mcl]. That certainly was an... {i}explosive{/i} finish."

                    mc "A, ahem... thaaaaaanks?"

                    kat "Don't mention it. It was... interesting."

                    ver "Ghh, hhaan, streetthhhchggingg-!!!"

            mc "........."

            mc "......"

            play sound "sound effects/record-scratch.wav"

            "...this was my limit."

            mc "Aaeeh, I'll be riiiiiight back."

            "......"

            "..."

            kat "Is that a milder scent you are wearing?"

            sophia "It's the same batch as the bottle I gave you."

            kat "The effect seemed... less? Why's that?"

            sophia "It's possible that his body adapted and partially metabolized the odor molecules. All I can say is that it's remarkable he held out that long."

            sophia "It could be a matter of willpower."

            kat "When I had dinner with Charles the other night, he didn't even flinch."

            sophia "Dr. Kohler is a scary man."

            kat "Is that your appraisal after demolishing him game after game?"

            sophia "How else should I describe a man who has no need but keeps his passions tightly controlled"

            kat "That's why he and I are incompatible. He treats fucking like it's Christmas."

            kat "You don't have anything to worry about as long as you don't lose."

            sophia "I don't plan on it, but I have a feeling he eventually wins one way or another."

            kat "Abel wouldn't let it come to that, would he?"

            "......"

            "..."

            sophia "Thank you for indulging my little whim, Kathleen. It was amusing."

            kat "Don't mention it. One should make their own fun in life. Still..."

            kat "...you're very competent. Don't you ever desire more?"

            sophia "A frivolous bitch like you has no business saying that to me."

            kat "Ah, fuck. There it is."

            kat "I almost felt sorry for you."

        play music "music/landing.ogg"

        ver "Hnngggg- hhaaa-"

        rose "......"

        fel "..."

        ver "Waahh, wwwwhhhuuuat-"

        rose "......"

        fel "..."

        ver "Ggaahhhk, y-you jerks are really j-just gonna stand there?! H-hhhaaa...!"

        fel "I mean, I started out wanting to play nice, but Rosalind..."

        rose "This is just part of the game."

        fel "She does have a point."

        ver "Haaa, phhh- can't you j-just- *Bzzzt, bzzzt!* hnnn!"

        fel "It's not like you're not getting any satisfaction. How many times have those toys made you cum?"

        ver "Gaa-h, it's n-not enough! E-every time I think I'm c-coming down-- I g-gett hho-tt, ag--gaggin..! Hnn!!"

        ver "C'mon... u-use your mouth again, that was more..."

        fel "Yeesh. I'm feeling kinda..."

        rose "We're supposed to be punishing her."

        fel "...she does have a point. Should we focus on winning?"

        ver "Guhhk, hhhnnanaaa- D-damn it! Focus on winning?!"

        ver "W-what the hell do you stand to w-win here?! The company of other a-sshhholehhh?!"

        fel "We all have our reasons, Red."

        ver "Your reason is bullshit!"

        fel "Why should I care about your sob stories? It doesn't matter who wins, it only matters if you lose."

        fel "Do you think Rose will give a shit if you win over me? It's all the same to her as it would be to you."

        ver "..y-yeah?"

        fel "You should be happy to have a bored rich bitch as your opponent. Would you rather three desperate people get paraded like show dogs over two?"

        ver "If you win, two desperate people are h-hosed! Gg-ah-"

        fel "The math's the same either way. Just focus on what you have to do."

        rose "..."

        ver "What the fuck are you even talking about?! Ahhhhh, d-damn it it pisses me off!"

        ver "W-when you l-lose, you can go back to your d-damn penthouse! Take a dip in your pool!"

        fel "Sure I can."

        ver "I get why you want to join! Y-you're not any fucking different than the old cunt!"

        ver "You'd fit right in r-rreeeaeehhhl -hnnn!- nicely, if only y-you weren't b-born {b}TRAILER TRASH!{/b}"

        fel "..."

        rose "Ah... ha... heh, c'mon... this is all a game. Don't-"

        fel "We're just going in circles - just hang there and cum, Red. It'll be more fun that way."

        ver "You--"

        ver "Gwwwhhhhahahahahhhh- hh-"

        ver "Huuuahhhht-! C-ccumm--!"

        fel "Shit... right on cue..."

        ver "Hhgnn, ugugghh--♥♥♥♥"

        fel "Guess we're finished."

        rose "I doubt it. We should probably keep going until Mrs. Pulman stops us."

        fel "How long do you think that's going to be?"

        rose "Who knows."

        rose "There's only one of me and two of you..."

        rose "......"

        rose "..."

        rose "Do you girls have a preference on who I should start with?"

        ver "Of-c-couuuurse n-ot--"

        fel "M-meeeh! I'm d-dying here! -Hnnn- C'mon!"

        rose "Is it really that bad?"

        fel "M-my whole body is on f-fire! I can't even think without--"

        rose "Then I guess you'll have to sit tight while I give Veronica a hand."

        fel "W-whaaa...?"

        rose "She's hurting just as bad as you. The only difference is, well... she's not... {b}you{/b}."

        fel "H-huh? What do you mean by that?!"

        rose "It's nothing personal. Just... trying to be utilitarian here."

        fel "Bullshit, you two-faced bitch!"

        rose "Is that how you ask nicely for something?"

        fel "You want me to beg?!"

            fel "Is t-that what you did with [mcf] when you got him barking up my tree for some money? O-or m-maybe you did something more like me than you'd care to--"

        rose "No. I want you to be patient and \"sit there\" quietly. This is supposed to be a punishment."

        rose "Why would I just give you what you ask for?"

        fel "A-aahh, y-yeah right... you and Red don't like me, do you?"

            rose "I'm grateful for your money, but... do you want me to be honest?"

            rose "Do you want me to be honest?"

        rose "......"

        rose "..."

        rose "I don't care about either of you one way or another."

        ver "H-haah! See? Not everything is about you, Blondie!"

        ver "Some of us have heavier shit on our mi--"

        play music "music/addict.ogg"

        play sound "sound effects/vib-start.wav"

        ver "H--hhhnaaaaahh, fhhh-ddd--ahk--"

        rose "I wish you'd sit here quietly too."

            kat "It didn't take long for Rosalind to become comfortable with the situation, did it?"

            "In my current over-cooked state, what was playing out on the television screen was a muddled mess of pixels that barely registered meaning to me."

            kat "Sluts like her sure are adaptable. It's a strength, but it can be a little boring when they're totally obedient."

            "No, in my current state, my mind was completely consumed by the old woman's grip on my cock."

            mc "H-haahaa...!"

            sophia "Unlike Lynch?"

            mc "G-gahh...!"

            "The pitiful noise of a rutting animal punctuated the women's conversation."

            kat "Exactly! Ah, I love it! I really do love Miss Lynch. I wish I had more than a month with her."

            kat "Still, it should be fun to watch Mrs. Carter let loose. Of course, she'll justify it was done under instruction, but she won't be able to hide her enjoyment of this from the other two."

            sophia "You have a {i}unique{/i} sense of aesthetics, Kathleen."

            kat "Well, what do you find hot, Miss Lundgren? I'm genuinely curious..."

            mc "Huuuhghh...!"

            kat "What gets a woman like you going?"

            mc "H-huhh... ack...!"

            sophia "You ever give much thought to what makes your skin itch? I tend not to pontificate over my bodily responses."

            kat "Unlike me, you mean?"

            sophia "When I feel an itch, I simply scratch it."

            kat "We got that in common at least - {b}all three of us.{/b}"

            sophia "Stop distracting me. I'm trying to watch--"

            kat "Oh, look at them stretch!"

            kat "It didn't take long for Rosalind to become comfortable with the situation, did it?"

            "In my current over-cooked state, what was playing out on the television screen was a muddled mess of pixels that barely registered meaning to me."

            kat "Sluts like her sure are adaptable. It's a strength, but it can be a little boring when they're totally obedient."

            mc "She... ah..."

            sophia "Unlike Lynch?"

            kat "Exactly! Ah, I love it! I really do love Miss Lynch. I wish I had more than a month with her."

            kat "Still, it should be fun to watch Mrs. Carter let loose. Of course, she'll justify it was done under instruction, but she won't be able to hide her enjoyment of this from the other two."

            sophia "You have a {i}unique{/i} sense of aesthetics, Kathleen."

            kat "Well, what do you find hot, Miss Lundgren? I'm genuinely curious... what gets a woman like you going?"

            sophia "You ever give much thought to what makes your skin itch? I tend not to pontificate over my bodily responses."

            kat "Unlike me, you mean?"

            sophia "When I feel an itch, I simply scratch it."

            kat "Oh, lovely, at least we have that in common."

            sophia "Stop distracting me. I'm trying to watch--"

            kat "Oh, look at them stretch!"

        ver "Hnngg, w-what the fuck?! My- ahh... p-pulling- hnhnn!"

        "Back on screen, Rosalind had selected an interesting tool and had carefully suctioned them around Veronica's pale teats."

        ver "HHh-hhh... ff-"

        ver "Woooaoahhhnnn--"

        rose "Two pumps. Let me know when to stop."

        ver "Stohh--"

        ver "Hnnggh, hhkhk-ooohwwah--"

        rose "Three."

        ver "Stop! It feels like my tieiits--"

        ver "Hngngg, y-you cunt!"

        rose "Sorry, Veronica."

        rose "One more than is comfortable is adequate punishment. This is-"

        ver "Hheee-ehheu-"

        rose "Well, you seem taken care of on both ends."

        ver "W-wwhaaeeeuch..."

        kat "Oh my. No edging into things."

        rose "I should move on to Felicia now."

        kat "The constant pull on her breasts and the ceaseless ribbed vibration on her sex might just end up breaking her in this state."

        fel "E-hhuhhh...? Ah... fuck, what do you have in store for me?"

        rose "That's a good question. The way you're set up kinda limits my options..."

        ver "Hnngg, hhaaa- sghbh--"

        fel "Hnng, w-whatever, j-just... d-do something! I'm dying-"

        rose "Hold that thought."

        rose "I read about this in a book once."

            fel "...eh?! What are you going to do with that?!"

            kat "I'm surprised you haven't soiled my hand yet."

            mc "Hnngg!"

            kat "I know one time won't suffice. You don't have to fear; I'll milk you as much as you require~"

            "At this point, a stiff breeze would have gotten me off, but for how slow it was, the old woman's technique was thorough and {i}immaculate{/i} in its consistency. She never slowed down or sped up; she just jerked me like her wrist operated on a piston."

            mc "G-ahh, s-shut the fuck up and just k-keep--!"

            "The real magic lay in how she used her pinky, tracing its black nail up and down the underside of my shaft, never deviating a single millimeter from the same tract of overwrought nerve endings."

            kat "*Whisper* You should speak kindly to someone doing you a favor, [mcf]."

            mc "*Gulp* H-a, haa... favor...? Yeah right..."

            "It was like the words apparated on my lips without even being thought of. I said what I felt without control or filter."

            mc "T-take a sit and spin on it if you really want to do me a favor!"

            kat "You're adorable right now, you know that?"

            fel "G-ggah, get that the fuck away from me!"

            rose "Relax, Sweetie, you don't think I'd actually..."

            fel "...eh?! What are you going to do with that?!"

            kat "What a surprise. I didn't think she would use that."

            mc "Hhhngg...?"

            "With the way I counted it, I had a couple of options for managing my sickening arousal."

            "I could let my mind wander, try to think of something else... but invariably, my senses fell on the women next to me, to the curves of their busts and their waists..."

            "These two women were so far above me... the old woman decades my senior. Sophia, a brilliant scientist... it was so easy to imagine the delight in grabbing one of them right now and just--"

            mct "(Y-yeah... no... I should focus on what's playing out in front of me...)"

            "The other option was to let Kathleen's game preoccupy my attention."

            kat "A-aah..."

            mct "(...that's gotta be the best way of dealing with this, right?"

            kat "Do you need to be excused, Mr. [mcl]? Perhaps you need to go to the bathroom?"

            mc "N-no, I'm f-fine..."

            "She teased me, and strangely, I felt an unusual rush of pride. Of course, it was irrational, but that would be akin to losing..."

            "Losing what and to who, I did not know... but my willpower... I was stronger than this..."

            mct "(I ain't a fucking animal... right?)"

            fel "G-ggah, get that the fuck away from me!"

            rose "Relax, Sweetie, you don't think I'd actually..."

        rose "...burn you do you? No way! This is just..."

        fel "What kind of fucking books do you read?!"

        rose "Eh...? Oh, it's... just something another mom recommended..."

        fel "Yeah, right! You perverted cow! Is this the kind of shit you're into?"

        rose "I don't like that insinuation, nor the tone in your voice..."

        fel "The tone in MY voice?! Fuck you! You're the one-- aahh- s-shit, that's fucking w-warm!"

        rose "Well, that IS the point, hun... but it's not hurting you, is it?"

        fel "H-huh...?! N-no... I g-guess not... it actually feels kinda... my s-skin is-- a-aahh...!"

        fel "Ah, hhnngg it must be this shit Kat gave me... it f-feels like a massage?"

        rose "Oh, good!"

        fel "Y-you're surprised?!"

        rose "Well, this is the first time I've actually done this!"

        fel "G-gahh-!"

        rose "It's supposed to be like an intense but relaxing massage... one that might leave your skin, or in this case your nipples, a little agitated..."

        fel "A-aahh- You d-damn freak!"

        rose "Don't be rude. This is part of the exhibition."

        fel "Bullshit, there's a WHOLE lot of shit on the table and you picked-"

        fel "Ghh, hnng, f-fuuuuck!"

        fel "G-, aaahn, hhhngg--"

        fel "Nueeeueuhh--"

        fel "G-gah, w-what the fuck?! That... h-hnngg...! F-fuck me, why did I almost cum from that?"

        rose "Maybe it's because you're the perverted one, Felicia."

        rose "I'm not the one doing this for--"

        ver "Ghh-hhhnngg, hhaaa-- it, eehhhn waahhnt sttthhhoop--"

        ver "Gguuuhhaahhh- sbnnbbbuuuzzzh--"

        rose "I'm not the one doing this for fun or pretending like I'm too good to be here."

        fel "W-what...?"

        rose "Both of you are so damn annoying. You, for obvious reasons and even Veronica is..."

        ver "GUgg-hhhnngg♥♥♥"

        rose "I swallow my pride and she runs her mouth, saying what I'm thinking. It makes me feel..."

        fel "How do you really feel, you two-faced bitch?"

        rose "You got me figured out, don't you, hun?"

            kat "It's always interesting when you give a woman like Rosalind the opportunity to take the reins. They're so stressed, pent up, inhibited..."

            play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

            fel "Guh, hhnng, s-shit!"

            kat "They don't show you their true colors as much as their whole color palette blends together in one fucked up mix. I wonder where this will go."

            mc "H-hhhhngg...!"

            "Like hell my mind was registering any of her bullshit right now."

            ver "H-heuuuh?! Y-you're gonna use t-that t-too?!"

            sophia "You counted on this kind of... {i}fervor{/i}?"

            mc "H-a, hnnggaa..."

            "The inside of my head was mush right now. My capacity for language was utterly eroded."

            kat "I've been doing this for a long time. Before the club, I had my {i}other{/i} enterprises."

            kat "I'm well acquainted with the peculiar ways people in desperate situations respond. In a way, it's a more potent means of control than any drug."

            sophia "I'm actually impressed for once."

            kat "You shouldn't be. I'm an amateur when compared to someone like your owner."

            kat "I think the way Van Doren has you under his thumb is much more impressive."

            sophia "Thank you."

            kat "You took that as a compliment?"

            sophia "Of course I did. Abel only has the best things."

            kat "Your self-awareness in your choice of words is commendable, dear."

            kat "It's always interesting when you give a woman like Rosalind the opportunity to take the reins. They're so stressed, pent up, inhibited..."

            play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

            fel "Guh, hhnng, s-shit!"

            kat "They don't show you their true colors as much as their whole color palette blends together in one fucked up mix. I wonder where this will go."

            "To my annoyance, whenever one of them spoke, my attention would turn back to just how fuckable the women next to me were. "

            ver "H-heuuuh?! Y-you're gonna use t-that t-too?!"

            sophia "You counted on this kind of... {i}fervor{/i}?"

            mct "(Christ, I want to make that mouthy hag choke on my dick until she passes out!)"

            "Intrusive thought upon intrusive thought flooded my head."

            kat "I've been doing this for a long time. Before the club, I had my {i}other{/i} enterprises."

            kat "I'm well acquainted with the peculiar ways people in desperate situations respond. In a way, it's a more potent means of control than any drug."

            sophia "I'm actually impressed for once."

            kat "You shouldn't be. I'm an amateur when compared to someone like your Master."

            kat "I think the way Van Doren has you under his thumb is much more impressive."

            sophia "Thank you."

            kat "You took that as a compliment?"

            sophia "Of course I did. Abel only has the best things."

            kat "Your self-awareness in your choice of words is commendable, dear."

        fel "Ghhu, hnhng-"

        fel "Hnngg, hh-aaa-♥♥"

        fel "D-damn, it, gaaa♥♥♥"

        fel "W-what the f-fucckkhhh iswwrrggon♥♥♥♥"

        fel "Wtrrrrornnggggweeethmeeeeee♥♥♥♥♥"

        rose "Wow..."

        fel "Guhh, hh-aaa, d-did I just...?"

        rose "You came."

        fel "Ah- w-why am I still...?"

        rose "I wanted to see if I could get you to with just your chest, but I didn't think it would be that easy..."

        rose "Me? I've always been so sensitive up top that I've been curious..."

        fel "Oh...you're enjoying this. I don't actually care, I'm not j-judging you... I'd just love to hear you admit it."

        ver "Huggg---aahh, wwwhooooaoahh--♥♥♥♥♥♥"

        ver "Guh, hhgguu--♥♥♥♥♥♥"

        rose "Enjoying {i}this{/i}? I can honestly say I'm not."

        rose "I'm just happy to be on this side of things for once."

        rose "You're still burning up, aren't you?"

        fel "H-hhuhh, aa-ahh..."

        fel "Guuaah-? Hnnng- Y-you already tested your hypoth--"

        rose "*Shlurhp, shhwwwup, chwup~* Woohhh-♥♥"

        kat "Looks like she's done talking."

        fel "Gaah, hhnng- W-wooaohhh-hhnnggg-- I'm-"

        ## Cut to Veronica

        ver "Gguuphphh- hhngg, hgauuuh♥♥♥♥♥"

        ver "Ehhh--hhnngg♥♥♥"

        fel "GHhh, hhhu♥♥♥♥♥♥ Fghh-"

        "A delirious concert of fuck-numbed sounds flooded both the room they stood in and where we sat."

        fel "Wwhh, hhhnnggg- wwowoohh♥♥♥ *Slwhhup, chup, khwwuup!*"

        "Rosalind used the paddle in a much more tender and devious way, prying apart and rubbing the blonde's pink insides."

        fel "HHuugg-hhhaaat♥♥♥"

        "It was her own miniature version of Felicia's game from the last exhibition."

        fel "Www--aahhhhhheeeoo"

        "If she intended it to mirror that, Rosalind was really quite devious."

        "*Slwhhup, chup, khwwuup!*"

        "The sight was pitiful and sad, but even without being under the influence as I was, this sight was..."

        fel "Guhh-hhukk-! HHwwwwoho♥♥♥♥"

        "It was the kinda sight that moved me."

        mc "G-ghhuuh!"

            kat "I'm starting to get offended, Mr. [mcl]. Does my hand not suffice?"

            kat "Don't you want to taste release?"

            mc "G-gah, f-fuck! It's not like I have any control over it!"

            sophia "Hmm..."

            "Every fiber of my being desperately anticipated climax. My reason had been eroded and my purpose replaced by the critical need to expunge every trace of nauseating desire from my body through my cock."

            "The hairs on my arm stood on end, the feeling in my extremities came and went like the tide, and a pervasive tingling feeling floated from my neck down to my tailbone - by all means, my body told me that I {b}should{/b} be coming."

            sophia "Interesting."

            "But I wasn't. My bloated dick burned against the soft palm of the old woman's hand, pulsating and twitching from the ceaseless stimulation, filling me with the irrational fear that I might literally explode if I didn't soon go careening into the void of sexual release."

            sophia "All things considered, he is showing a {b}surprising{/b} degree of longevity..."

            kat "Maybe your fragrance isn't as effective as you think it is."

            mc "G-gaahh!"

            sophia "Maybe..."

            mct "(No! It was definitely fucking effective!)"

            sophia "...but unlikely. Hey, [mcf]..."

            "Through lidded eyes, I could sense the blonde scooching closer and closer."

            sophia "The issue is that a young, well-traveled guy like you simply can't get off on an old woman's touch, right?"

            mc "That's not--"

            sophia "{b}{i}Isn't it?{/b}{/i}"

            "Even in my lust-addled state..."

            "My brain registered amazement over the willful way Sophia flipped the switch, going from detached aloofness to a man-killer just as easily as one would shed their clothes. "

            mc "Hnngg...!"

            kat "*Scoff* Feeling left out, were you?"

            sophia "Give them a comparison."

            "My hand responded independently, sinking into the pleasant give of the doctor's tit-flesh in an instant as what remained of my faculties disappeared into the whirlpool of her eyes."

            sophia "You got a mess lurking somewhere in there that you want to get out?"

            mc "Ha... hnngg...! F-fuck it!"

            sophia "...?!"

            "I kissed her, just as you'd expect a man on the brink of starvation to steal a loaf of bread."

            sophia "Mmmhhhh....!"

                "She might not have expected it or even wanted it, but she quickly accepted it as a consequence of the \"just a bit of chaos\" she wielded in her joust against Mrs. Pulman."

                "She might not have expected it or even wanted it, but she quickly accepted it as a consequence of the \"just a bit of chaos\" she wielded in her joust against Kathleen."

            kat "H-hey, ahh--"

            "Spurred on by having the attention of two beautiful women, even if it was just the fucked up equivalent of cooking ants with a magnifying glass to them, I knew it wouldn't be long until I finally had my release."

            kat "Gah, ah... ha... hmpfh."

            "Although I could feel her eyes on my neck, the old woman continued to milk me."

            "*Cwhup, fwhup, chwup...!*"

            kat "I've somehow ended up feeling like a third wheel."

            "I pawed at both women's breasts with a virgin-like fervor, wholly enamored by an opportunity I might never get again."

            mct "(The head of a charity and a world-class scientist... ha, fucking sluts!)"

            "I felt like a king, not of my own making of course, but my brain was so cooked as to not know the difference. Thinking was hard, but what few thoughts I could miraculously formulate were like tidal waves breaking against the shore."

            mct "(Who the hell do you think you're fucking with? You think you can toy with me just because of money?!)"

            "I felt smothered, suffocated, and hot. More akin to a wick that was about to burn out than a human being."

            mct "(I'M A GUINEA PIG TO YOU?!)"

            "Every sensation felt heightened, and every second felt prolonged... I genuinely feared that the moment I popped would be when I was snuffed out."

            mct "{size=+30}{font=/gui/fonts/MB-Thin_Worms.ttf}(You like to toy with pe-){/font}{/size}"

            "My brain gave out, but if I ceased to exist after this, I instinctively knew one thing: these last minutes of my life should be bold."

                "Goad the old woman into letting you finish in her mouth.":

                    mc "I'm about to b-blow..."

                    kat "You don't need my permission."

                    mc "Can you finish me with your mouth?"

                    kat "Hmmmmm, not going to happen."

                    mc "A-ah, pretty please? With a cherry on top?"

                    kat "Why don't you ask Miss Lundgren to do it?"

                    mc "...because I want you, Ma'am."

                    kat "...hmmmmmmmm. You have the eyes of a crazed animal, yet..."

                    kat "You're asking so nicely. God, I love that."

                    "She smirked like she had won against me, and perhaps even against Sophia."

                    kat "It really is goddamn adorable. Ask me again, [mcf]."

                    "A desperate, cloying urge inside me told me her mouth was the only place I wanted to be right now and if it took a bit of pleading to get me into a position where I could fill that mean bitch's stomach with my seed, then so be it."

                    mc "Hhh, haa... would you PLEASE finish me with your mouth, Mrs. Pulman?"

                        "Without another word, Mrs. Pulman lowered herself and..."

                        "Without another word, Kathleen lowered herself and..."

                    mc "G-gah...!"

                    "The moment her lips wrapped themselves around my cock, I felt like I might pass out."

                    "Her seal was so airtight that her mouth felt like an oven. Steady puffs of hot breath passed over the head of my cock as it made its way out through her nose."

                    mc "F-fuck, damn it!"

                    "*Shwuck, fgwhhuck, thwuuuck!&"

                    "What little air could escape from her hold transformed into {b}obscene{/b} noises as she inched herself up and down my shaft."

                    mc "H-holy-!"

                    "The running narration in my head was a jumbled mess, but through all the muddied noise from the pleasure soaking into my brain, I grasped a simple truth."

                    mc "Hnnng, you've sucked a lot of cock in your time, haven't you?!"

                    "*Thwaahp, fwhap, swhhuck~!*"

                    "The answer to that question played across my glans every time I wedged myself comfortably in her throat with zero fuss."

                    "Swhuck, hhhwhuck, fhhggguuk!*"

                    "{b}Damn it!{/b} A rich woman like her had no business sucking dick this well."

                    mc "Ghhn, haaat, hnnngg...!"

                    "She sucked me with the skill of a woman who had {b}nothing{/b} to her name."

                    kat "Mmmhm, hhmhm~"

                    "Just like her hand job, there was no wasted effort. She didn't tackle it in a clumsy frenzy, nor did she need to cautiously get used to my size."

                    "*Shwhuhuck, fwhhucuk, ghhwhuhuk!*"

                    "She sucked me like she had been sucking {b}my{/b} dick her whole life, pleasuring me at a steady and comfortable pace. I marveled at how, through a mere blowjob, a woman so cold and cruel could instantly imprint herself on my body as warm and welcoming."

                    "I was quickly understanding that \"adorable\" disparity she had just spoken "

                    mc "Hnng, h-how?!"

                    sophia "It's not performing brain surgery."

                        "{b}There{/b} was another perverse delight, speeding me toward my climax. Sophia's attention was on the back of Mrs. Pulman's head, watching intently as she debased herself in pursuit of degrading me."

                        "{b}There{/b} was another perverse delight, speeding me toward my climax. Sophia's attention was on the back of Kathleen's head, watching intently as she debased herself in pursuit of degrading me."

                    mct "(Haaaa... hope you like the show, bitch. You're the impetus for this.)"

                    "*Fwhhuck, ghhhukh, khggguuhhk*"

                    mc "Ahh... y-you dick swallowing--! Hnnngg...!"

                    "It was coming."

                    mc "You think I'm adorable?!"

                    "I was moments from blowing my load, and with it, the indignation from earlier swelled in me. I had wanted a bold finish before I met my end, and well..."

                    mct "(I'll show you adorable!)"

                    mc "I'm c-cumming, fucking drown in it, you damn--"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Mmmmh?!"

                    "Before she could even register what was happening, ropes of piping hot cum barreled down her esophagus on a one-way trip to her stomach."

                    play ambient "sound effects/fel2.wav"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Ghhkka, hkkaa-!"

                    "I pressed down hard, holding the old woman's head in place as she gargled my seed in abject surprise."

                    mc "Hnngg, all of it!"

                    "I pressed down so hard it hurt my groin."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Ghhuk, hhuuuh, hwwwhuuuck...!"

                    "It was massive, like I was cumming my very soul down the old woman's throat."

                    kat "Ghuk, khak, uuhhk-!"

                    mc "Gah, c-choke on it!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    "Not all of my load was making its way down her throat. To my perverse glee, I could {i}feel{/i} myself coating the lining of her throat."

                    kat "Ghhuk, hhuuuk...!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "Hope you like the fucking taste!"

                    kat "Mmmh, hhhngg?!?!"

                    sophia "I don't think she can breathe..."

                    mc "Good! She can breathe when I'm fucking--!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    ".........!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    "......!"

                    mc "A-aahh...!"

                    kat "Ugghhuhh..."

                    "Peace."

                    "Serenity."

                    "Satisfaction."

                    "In this moment, I had it all."

                    "With that, I happily died. The oblivion I felt nipping at my heels finally sank its sharp teeth into my throat."

                    "............"

                    "........."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    kat "Why are you holding your hands out like that? It's weird."

                    mct "(Ah, fuck... I {i}wasn't{/i} dead? {b}Oh no.{/b} Then that meant I just...)"

                    sophia "She's right. It's distracting."

                    "I didn't know how long I was out of it, but by the time I opened my eyes, the two women had collected themselves, and what I thought was a bold display of defiance was made pitiful and wholly expected by their bemused faces."

                        "Mrs. Pulman looked {i}totally{/i} unaffected by my rough treatment, showing no signs of having mercilessly guzzled my cum just moments ago..."

                        "Kathleen looked {i}totally{/i} unaffected by my rough treatment, showing no signs of having mercilessly guzzled my cum just moments ago..."

                    kat "Oh, by the way... you said some pretty outlandish things to me."

                    mc "If I recall, I did a bit more than that..."

                    kat "It was {b}adorable{/b}."

                    "She had indeed won."

                    ver "Ghh, hhaan, streetthhhchggingg-!!!"

                "Leave an impression on the doctor.":

                    "I knew what I wanted."

                    sophia "Mmmhh, hhhhh..."

                    "And that last act of defiance would be leaving the doctor, the root cause of all this, something to remember me by."

                    "*Chwup, fhwup~*"

                    "I wanted to hear this aloof bitch moan, so I focused everything on the woman whose mouth I was currently exploring."

                    sophia "Mmmh, hhmmm...?"

                    "It was a battle against my wits. Sophia was literally intoxicating. Focusing my senses all on her had me burning twice as fast."

                    "By instinct, I felt her breast over her clothes."

                    sophia "Mmhh..."

                    "Her coos told me she was receptive, but it wasn't quite the noise I wanted to drag out from the blonde."

                    sophia "Ghu, gha~ghhuu...!"

                    "Deciding that over the clothes touching wouldn't do it, I switched focus on the erogenous zone in her mouth, intensifying my efforts in an intricate dance to subdue her tongue with my own."

                    sophia "Mmmmh, mmhhhh- *chwuph, fhwhup~*"

                    "She wasn't a passive observer in my hunt; her tongue played coy, darting away and slipping from my grasp whenever I thought I had her pinned."

                    "It was mere seconds, but--"

                    "Chwhu, fhwwwup, chup!*"

                    "--but, in my fogged-over state, time held little sway over my perception. What was in reality a clumsy tussle felt like a long and protracted siege."

                    "I don't know if it was because of the perfume, but all bodily sensations gradually began to meld into one."

                    "The feeling of the old woman's hand milking my cock, the wet warmness of our kiss, the bubbling desire so strong that I was confident it would be the end of me..."

                    mc "Mmmh, hhhmmm-!"

                    "All of it spelled an overload melded and combined into a singular feeling of otherness. I was sure I had lost this battle until..."

                    "My brain registered a change."

                    mct "Was she...?"

                    sophia "Mmmh, hhmhm~aahhh...!"

                    "She was closer."

                    "She was pressing into me."

                    "She felt it."

                    "She was {b}heated{/b}."

                    "{i}She was kissing me back.{/i}"

                    "Whether it was done deliberately or on an instinctual level, her body responded favorably."

                    sophia "Ahh, hhhnnggg, mmmmhh-!"

                    "My hand found a place on her ass and I used that to spur her on even more. With this, I had physical confirmation of my success."

                    mct "(Fuck, what a great-!)"

                    "I could feel the hot dampness of her delicate spot."

                    sophia "Mmhh, hhaa...♥♥♥"

                    "She purred openly and I felt a petty relief over my trivial victory. The succubus driving me to this desperate state wouldn't escape our battle unscathed."

                    "*Chwup, fhwwup, khwwup*!"

                    "--and that wasn't the only sense of relief I felt."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "{b}Hnng, ah-!!!{/b}"

                    "I didn't know when it started, but ropes of cum geysered from my cock and rained down from the sky."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "Ghh, aaahh- sssshit--"

                    kat "Huh, {b}WOW{/b}."

                    mc "Hngg, hhhhmmmhh-~"

                    "All the suffocating vileness in me was expelled and released into the world. All my desperation spilled out onto our clothes and thighs."

                    "Soon need was replaced with..."

                    "Peace."

                    "Serenity."

                    "Satisfaction."

                    "Emptiness."

                    "The oblivion I felt nipping at my heels finally sank its sharp teeth into my throat."

                    "I was dead."

                    "............"

                    "........."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    sophia "Great, now we'll spend the rest of the show reeking of semen."

                    mct "(Ah, fuck... I {i}wasn't{/i} dead? {b}Oh no.{/b} Then that meant I just...)"

                    kat "You should've thought of that before you entered the crossfire."

                    sophia "You were taking too long. I wanted to put an end to the distraction."

                    "I didn't know how long I was out of it. Still, by the time I opened my eyes, the two women had collected themselves. The damage I thought I had done to Sophia with my counter-attack was made pitiful by their bemused faces."

                    kat "Oh, please. Are those the kind of sounds you make matter-of-factly?"

                    "Sophia looked as composed as ever, and except for a little blush, her attention turned back to the Carnations."

                    kat "I hope that provided you a measure of relief, Mr. [mcl]. That certainly was an... {i}explosive{/i} finish."

                    mc "A, ahem... thaaaaaanks?"

                    kat "Don't mention it. It was... interesting."

                    ver "Ghh, hhaan, streetthhhchggingg-!!!"

            mc "........."

            mc "......"

            play sound "sound effects/record-scratch.wav"

            "...this was my limit."

            mc "Aaeeh, I'll be riiiiiight back."

            "......"

            "..."

            kat "Is that a milder scent you are wearing?"

            sophia "It's the same batch as the bottle I gave you."

            kat "The effect seemed... less? Why's that?"

            sophia "It's possible that his body adapted and partially metabolized the odor molecules. All I can say is that it's remarkable he held out that long."

            sophia "It could be a matter of willpower."

            kat "When I had dinner with Charles the other night, he didn't even flinch."

            sophia "Dr. Kohler is a scary man."

            kat "Is that your appraisal after demolishing him game after game?"

            sophia "How else should I describe a man who has no need but keeps his passions tightly controlled"

            kat "That's why he and I are incompatible. He treats fucking like it's Christmas."

            kat "You don't have anything to worry about as long as you don't lose."

            sophia "I don't plan on it, but I have a feeling he eventually wins one way or another."

            kat "Abel wouldn't let it come to that, would he?"

            "......"

            "..."

            sophia "Thank you for indulging my little whim, Kathleen. It was amusing."

            kat "Don't mention it. One should make their own fun in life. Still..."

            kat "...you're very competent. Don't you ever desire more?"

            sophia "A frivolous bitch like you has no business saying that to me."

            kat "Ah, fuck. There it is."

            kat "I almost felt sorry for you."

        play music "music/landing.ogg"

        ver "Hnngguuhh..."

        fel "Hwhuuck, hhnanaa.."

        rose "Wow... ahah..."

        rose "I don't smoke, but I feel like I should have a cigarette..."

        ver "Ahhwwhh-"

        fel "Wwhhhaah- hnnn..."

        rose "Are you girls holding up alright?"

        ver "Hnngg.. haa... w-what the fuck do you think?"

        rose "I don't think it's over until Mrs. Pulman returns, but... I'd say a little break is in order."

        fel "Y-you were j-juust s-shoving a paddle up my cooch and now you're playing n-nice? Goddamn it..."

        rose "I--"

        fel "F-for the love of God... p-please don't say this is part of the game again... f-fuck... hnnh... t-the itch is starting again...?"

        ver "Ghha, hhaa... s-shit... you just left me hanging t-there?"

        rose "Ahehe... there's only one of me."

        ver "G-gah, you said I was annoying...?"

        rose "You remember that...?"

        ver "Y-you think I'm no better than Blondie?"

        rose "I didn't say {i}that{/i}..."

        fel "Y-yeah, she said you run your mouth, acting like you're better than everyone else!"

        rose "I didn't mean it like that, I..."

        ver "Bah! So what if I do, we all have our fucking pretenses here! Rosie's m-mousey s-shit is just as annoying as my dumb bravado!"

        fel "O-ohh, s-so you're aware of how you sound?!"

        ver "Even if it's fucking futile, it's something, right? Both of you l-left me hanging when I tried to get ALL of us paid earlier! All of us!"

        fel "It was deluded!"

        ver "So what?! Of course it is! I wasn't expecting it to work!"

        rose "If you know that, why do you draw Mrs. Pulman's ire then...?"

        ver "......"

        ver "...h-ow could I not?"

        fel "You're making it purposefully harder on yourself? Stop being stupid!"

        ver "I don't want to hear that from you, bitch."

        fel "Well, you're hearing it!"

        ver "Even if you're going to get your ass kicked... ahaa-- hnngg- hnnn-- you..."

        ver "...you don't just put your guard down and make it easy for them."

        ver "You just... {b}don't{/b}."

        rose "......"

        rose "..."

        rose "We should begin again."

        fel "H-hhaaa... I think you struck a n-nerve with her..."

        rose "Shut up, Felicia."

        rose "You asked me if I actually found you annoying? If I put it mildly, it's not you; this whole thing is an annoyance."

        rose "When it comes to you or Felicia, I actually don't think much about either of you."

        rose "What do I care if you're here for frivolous reasons?"

        rose "Why would I give a damn about putting up a fight just to make myself feel better?"

        ver "That's not what I was saying!"

        rose "I know, hun. What I'm saying, though, is... there's only one thing important to me."

        play sound "sound effects/vib-start.wav"

        "Bzzzt, bzzzt!"

        rose "So I gotta do a good job."

        ver "It's kinda fucking weird being on this side of things... h-hhhnn, f-fuck, I'm feeling crazy..."

        ver "I f-feel like I lose no matter what I do here."

        rose "T-that's... uh... wow..."

        rose "I d-don't have any that looks like that."

        ver "You like the looks of it, eh?"

        ver "......"

        ver "..."

        rose "W-what are--?"

        ver "A-ah, w-what am I doing? Fuuuuck... you're pretty... g-gahh... T-total, {b}major{/b} MILF."

        rose "U-mmm... t-thanks...?"

        fel "H-hurry up! You're not the only one going crazy!"

        ver "Shut up, Blondie! This was meant to be a punishment, so you'll wait as long as I say."

        fel "G-aah, cooohm ooooon!"

        ver "Hnnngg-"

        ver "Why do I feel like not myself and completely like myself at the same time?"

        ver "I d-don't which it is... or--hhnn! Or... if I hate it or love it..."

        fel "All I feel like is I need a cock more than I have my entire life?"

        ver "So a normal Monday for you, then?"

        rose "H-haa, aa-ck, s-shoot... d-don't make me laugh..."

        fel "Fuck you, don't just stand there!"

        ver "The more you complain... Ahh-hhha... The more I'm just going to leave you sitting there and focus on Rosie."

        fel "Earth to meathead! You're not even doing anything to her!"

        ver "Ahhh s-shit, I'm not, am I...?"

        ver "S-suck on it. This is going in you."

        rose "Ah... I'm a-already so... ah... I don't think it'll have any trouble sliding in..."

        ver "I don't care. {b}I wanna see it.{/b}"

        rose "....."

        rose "A-ah--?"

        play music "music/addict.ogg"

        rose "Hnngg, kuk-!"

        rose "Ah, hhhmmm-"

        play sound "sound effects/vib-start.wav"

        "*Bzzz-bzzzt!*"

        rose "Hkkk, hhhuuk--aahh{b}SSSUUK?!{/b}"

        ver "Hnngg... that's... {b}goddamn hot!{/b}"

        rose "HKkhuh, ghhuuhk-! {b}*cough*{/b} Gaah, hhnnk-!"

        ver "{b}SO{/b} goddamn--"

            kat "For all Miss Lynch's disdain, she does seem to be enjoying the situation, no?"

            "In my current over-cooked state, what was playing out on the television screen was a muddled mess of pixels that barely registered meaning to me."

            kat "Sluts like her are the best. I love it when they're a mess of contradictions."

            "No, in my current state, my mind was completely consumed by the old woman's grip on my cock."

            mc "H-haahaa...!"

            kat "I really do love Miss Lynch. I wish I had more than a month with her."

            mc "G-gahh...!"

            "The pitiful noise of a rutting animal punctuated the women's conversation."

            sophia "You have a {i}unique{/i} sense of aesthetics, Kathleen."

            kat "Well, what do you find hot, Miss Lundgren? I'm genuinely curious..."

            mc "Huuuhghh...!"

            kat "What gets a woman like you going?"

            mc "H-huhh... ack...!"

            sophia "You ever give much thought to what makes your skin itch? I tend not to pontificate over my bodily responses."

            kat "Unlike me, you mean?"

            sophia "When I feel an itch, I simply scratch it."

            kat "We got that in common at least - {b}all three of us.{/b}"

            sophia "Stop distracting me. I'm trying to watch--"

            ver "S-shit, this isn't what I had in mind when I--"

            kat "For all Miss Lynch's disdain, she does seem to be enjoying the situation, no?"

            "In my current over-cooked state, what was playing out on the television screen was a muddled mess of pixels that barely registered meaning to me."

            kat "Sluts like her are the best. I love it when they're a mess of contradictions."

            mc "She... ah..."

            kat "Oh, how I really do love Miss Lynch. I wish I had more than a month with her."

            sophia "You have a {i}unique{/i} sense of aesthetics, Kathleen."

            kat "Well, what do you find hot, Miss Lundgren? I'm genuinely curious... what gets a woman like you going?"

            sophia "You ever give much thought to what makes your skin itch? I tend not to pontificate over my bodily responses."

            kat "Unlike me, you mean?"

            sophia "When I feel an itch, I simply scratch it."

            kat "Oh, lovely, at least we have that in common."

            sophia "Stop distracting me. I'm trying to watch--"

            ver "S-shit, this isn't what I had in mind when I--"

        play sound "sound effects/vib-start.wav"

        "*Bzzzt*!"

        rose "HHnnhh... Oo-oohohh..."

        rose "It-♥♥♥"

        rose "Wooooaaah-- hnnng..."

        ver "A-hh, h-hang in there, Rosie..."

        play sound "sound effects/slap2.wav"

        fel "U-ugh-!"

        "{b}*Swwwaaahp!*{/b}"

        fel "D-damn it! Give me what she's having, at least!"

        ver "A-ahh... I'm curious just how skin as tan as yours will turn red..."

        play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

        fel "Ahh, f-f-hhhu... Y-you're a real piece of work!"

        fel "Despite all your bitching, you're having fun!"

        ver "G-gah, hnn... Maybe it's a bit hypocritical, b-buht..."

        play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

        fel "Ghhh"

        ver "...silver linings or {b}whatever{/b}!"

        play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

        "*Thwap!*"

        ver "Does that feel good, you crazy slut!"

        fel "G-gah... f-fuck... {b}k-kinda{/b}...?!"

        ver "Judging by h-how I'm currently feeling... with h-how much my skin is burning... I bet this thing even feels like a brief distraction and relief...♥♥♥"

        fel "Maybe it does, but I'd still rather have-"

        rose "Gh, hhh--"

        fel "...what she's having."

        ver "N-no shit... Me, t-tooo..."

        ver "I've got it worse than you guys- I have two of you in front of me, l-looking like you do..."

        ver "Hnnn...♥♥♥ But no one to h-help me f-feel... aaach... {b}D-damn it!{/b}"

        ver "{b}This is inadequate...!{/b}"

        rose "W-what are you...?"

        fel "H-hey, what about me?"

        ver "What did I tell you about waiting your turn, Blondie?"

        rose "W-woaahh...? Ahh...? Don't dro--"

        ver "You think you got that to worry about with me? Don't worry, I've got you, beautiful."

        rose "B-but... aah... I don't think you were supposed to take me down... Mrs. Pulman took a lot of time setting us-"

            kat "I figured it might go this way."

            mc "B-bba- y-you did?!"

            kat "Of course. It's no surprise that Veronica would go off script."

            kat "The real kicker was always going to come after she comes to her senses and realizes just how easily she gives into her lust."

            mc "You are--"

            kat "What I AM surprised about is how you haven't soiled my hand yet."

            mc "Hnngg!"

            kat "I know one time won't suffice. You don't have to fear; I'll milk you as much as you require~"

            "At this point, a stiff breeze would have gotten me off, but for how slow it was, the old woman's technique was thorough and {i}immaculate{/i} in its consistency. She never slowed down or sped up; she just jerked me like her wrist operated on a piston."

            mc "G-ahh, s-shut the fuck up and just k-keep--!"

            "The real magic lay in how she used her pinky, tracing its black nail up and down the underside of my shaft, never deviating a single millimeter from the same tract of overwrought nerve endings."

            kat "*Whisper* You should speak kindly to someone doing you a favor, [mcf]."

            mc "*Gulp* H-a, haa... favor...? Yeah right..."

            "It was like the words apparated on my lips without even being thought of. I said what I felt without control or filter."

            mc "T-take a sit and spin on it if you really want to do me a favor!"

            kat "You're adorable right now, you know that?"

            kat "I figured it might go this way."

            mc "Y-you did...?"

            "With the way I counted it, I had a couple of options for managing my sickening arousal."

            "I could let my mind wander, try to think of something else... but invariably, my senses fell on the women next to me, to the curves of their busts and their waists..."

            "These two women were so far above me... the old woman decades my senior. Sophia, a brilliant scientist... it was so easy to imagine the delight in grabbing one of them right now and just--"

            mct "(Y-yeah... no... I should focus on what's playing out in front of me...)"

            "The other option was to let Kathleen's game preoccupy my attention."

            kat "Of course. It's no surprise that she'd go off script."

            kat "The real kicker was always going to come after she comes to her senses and realizes just how easily she gives into her lust."

            mct "(...that's gotta be the best way of dealing with this, right?)"

            kat "By the way... do you need to be excused, Mr. [mcl]? Perhaps you need to go to the bathroom?"

            mc "N-no, I'm f-fine..."

            "She teased me, and strangely, I felt an unusual rush of pride. Of course, it was irrational, but that would be akin to losing..."

            "Losing what and to who, I did not know... but my willpower... I was stronger than this..."

            mct "(I ain't a fucking animal... right?)"

        rose "W-w-ah-? P-put me doo--"

        ver "Ahh- relax, you're in good hands!"

        "In an exceedingly impressive display of back strength, Veronica flipped Rosalind around and had the MILF hold onto her body as if she was climbing a tree."

        rose "N-neee... d-don't drop-"

        ver "You have no idea how much I want to..."

        rose "Ah, m-my-"

        "Finishing her sentence, the redhead dived into Rosalind's bust, submerging herself in a sea of sensuous tit-flesh."

        rose "{b}Haaaaa-{/b}"

        "With how her head bobbed and shook, you could make a pretty good guess about what was going through Veronica's mind."

        fel "S-seriously?! Are you fucking motorboating her?!"

        "In my own state, I intimately sympathized with her. She was getting a fix and quelling a poisonous desire, breathing in Rosalind like her life depended on it."

        ver "Fwwwuuah, fmmmhmwww-"

        "-gnawing at her chest like she would sustain her."

        fel "Come- aah- w-what the fuck? You barely even-"

        "Felicia's complaint fell on deaf ears; Veronica was too rightfully enamored with the bounty before her."

        ver "Mmmh, mmhmhh-"

        "Before long, Rosalind became less concerned with her precarious footing and more concerned with scratching her own itch."

        rose "Mmmmmh-"

        "It started from a series of simple, pleasurable shudders. Her body squirmed and rocked until all that energy concentrated and found an outlet in her waist."

        rose "Oh, o-ohhhh-"

        "In a desperate bid for {i}something{/i}... {b}anything...{/b} like a cat in heat, Rosalind rubbed herself against Veronica's unbending form, looking for relief."

        rose "Oh, mmy-♥♥"

        "*Chwup, fwhup~!*"

        "The redhead knew where to attack. {b}She knew{/b} her weakness."

        rose "Oh, g-god-♥♥♥ Oh, g-gosh-♥♥♥♥"

        "That wonderfully perfect weakness for a woman like Rosalind."

        rose "V-vero-"

            "The old woman's grip on my cock did nothing to assuage the envious pangs I felt as I desired to get my hands and cock inside all three women who occupied the screen."

            "{b}Damn it{/b}, this wasn't enough..."

            "Envious pangs assailed me as I desired to get my own hands and cock inside all three women who occupied the screen."

            mct "(I'm going crazy here...)"

        "*{b}Chwup, khwup, chwhhup!{/b}*"

        rose "W-wooah- That feels... it's s-so h-hhoooot~ b-buh-burning up... every time - I f-forg-"

        "Every time Veronica {i}inhaled{/i}, Rosalind's expression said it all."

        rose "Woohh, g-god, gggoooood- V-verhherronica-"

        "On a normal day, she was critically weak there... on a day like today, in a situation like this..."

        rose "Hhhnnwwooo, o-ohohhhgoawwwd-"

        "{b}She had no hope{/b}."

        rose "Wooohhaaa-"

        "No hope but to surrender to the strong woman's whims and desires."

        "{b}*Chwup, fhwwup, fhhwwup, gwhhup!*{/b}"

            "No choice but to play her part in Mrs. Pulman's game of erotic theater and relinquish all control to her competitor."

            "No choice but to play her part in Kathleen's game of erotic theater and relinquish all control to her competitor."

        rose "Woohh-♥♥ G-gughh-"

        "If she didn't understand that intelligently, then at least her body was quick on the take."

        rose "Hhhuk- Blawwwnkss-"

        "{b}*Chwup, fhwwup, fhhwwup, gwhhup, whhwhhup, chwup, chhup-!!!!*{/b}"

        rose "Hngngggg- ohh, noo... ggghhhhoodd~"

        "Rosalind's expression soon went cross."

        "*Chwup, fwhup, kwhup!*"

        rose "Heehhy Oohwwwh"

        "In no time at all, pleasure quickly replaced all semblance of intelligence in her eyes."

        rose "Feeelss-aaahh-"

        "Veronica's ministrations were her ticket to forget how badly her body burned."

        rose "Wwee- Ggoowwdd, Verrrhho-"

        "A comfort that Veronica hadn't yet afforded her own self."

        rose "Ghh- Huuhh-"

        "........."

        "......"

        ver "{b}Ghhaah{/b}...!"

        rose "W-wwooah, ww-why you sttohp? Ahehh..."

        ver "S-sorry, Rose."

        rose "Whha-?"

        ver "Felicia is looking extra fine over there."

        rose "Ah...? Oh--"

        ver "Sit tight for a minute."

        fel "H-aahh... f-finally! G-give me one of those t-toys!"

        ver "That's not what I had in mind..."

            kat "Well, this direction is bringing up some recent memories."

            sophia "Is that right?"

            kat "She was much less friendly with me, but Miss Lynch is rather straightforward."

            mc "H-hhhhngg...!"

            "Like hell my mind was registering any of her bullshit right now."

            fel "H-heuuuh, w-waaah?"

            sophia "Did you expect this kind of fervor?"

            mc "H-a, hnnggaa..."

            play sound "sound effects/metal-drop.wav"

            ver "How the hell does this thing open?!"

            "The inside of my head was mush right now. My capacity for language was utterly eroded."

            kat "I've been doing this for a long time. Before the club, I had my {i}other{/i} enterprises."

            kat "I'm well acquainted with the peculiar ways people respond when they're horny. For a woman like her, getting off is as simple as going from point A to point B."

            sophia "I'm impressed."

            kat "You shouldn't be. I'm an amateur when compared to someone like your owner."

            kat "I think the way Van Doren has you under his thumb is much more impressive."

            sophia "Thank you."

            kat "You took that as a compliment?"

            sophia "Of course I did. Abel only has the best things."

            kat "Your self-awareness in your choice of words is commendable, dear."

            fel "Ehh-? Where the hell do you think you're putting your fat--"

            kat "Well, this direction is bringing up some recent memories."

            fel "H-heuuuh, w-waaah?"

            "To my annoyance, whenever one of them spoke, my attention would turn back to just how fuckable the women next to me were. "

            play sound "sound effects/metal-drop.wav"

            ver "How the hell does this thing open?!"

            sophia "Is that right? You counted on this kind of... {i}fervor{/i}?"

            mct "(Christ, I want to make that mouthy hag choke on my dick until she passes out!)"

            "Intrusive thought upon intrusive thought flooded my head."

            kat "I've been doing this for a long time. Before the club, I had my {i}other{/i} enterprises."

            kat "I'm well acquainted with the peculiar ways people respond when they're horny. For a woman like her, getting off is as simple as going from point A to point B."

            sophia "I'm impressed."

            kat "You shouldn't be. I'm an amateur when compared to someone like your Master."

            kat "I think the way Van Doren has you under his thumb is much more impressive."

            sophia "Thank you."

            kat "You took that as a compliment?"

            sophia "Of course I did. Abel only has the best things."

            kat "Your self-awareness in your choice of words is commendable, dear."

            fel "Ehh-? Where the hell do you think you're putting your fat--"

        fel "E..eeh? Who do you think you are pushing me to the-"

        ver "I'm the one that old bat didn't tie up."

        ver "We're in the middle of a show, or did you forget?"

        fel "Euugh, yeah, but y-you're usually not so--"

        ver "Feeling neglected? Like you're not the center of attention for once?"

        fel "Mmhuihhno-"

        ver "That must be tough for you, Blondie."

        ver "D-don't get mad at me if I take advantage a little... you understand, right? You're feeling the same thing I am... a-ahh..."

        ver "Just be a good girl for me and I'll be nice in return."

        "Veronica's words came out husky and drenched in honey."

        fel "Hnnggg-"

        "Felicia shuddered."

        ver "'atta girl, you're a lot more passive when you have something in your mouth, aren't you?"

        "Hell, even I shuddered from the other side of TV land."

        rose "This is supposed to be a punishment... Mrs. Pulman might get ma-"

        ver "Shut up, Rosie. Where's that backbone you grew when you slapped that cunt?"

        rose "I- tsssk-!"

        ver "A good show is a good show, and if you haven't figured it out, she wants to see how we respond when she throws a lit match in a tinderbox and leaves us to our own devices."

        ver "Well... this is how {b}I{/b} respond."

        fel "Heheh... you don't like me, Red, but you sure want to {b}fuck me.{/b} I've s-seen the way you occasionally look at me during the shows."

        ver "Well, Blondie... not {i}everything{/i} you say is bullshit. For now..."

        fel "Mmmhh-?!"

        ver "{b}A-ah-{/b} L-let's be friends-"

        fel "Mmmhh, mmhhh-!!!"

        "Without much warning, Veronica's large ass smothered Felicia's face and drummed up a startled reaction."

        ver "H-haa- a-and what better way of being friends than this?"

        ver "{b}...lick!{/b}"

        ver "J-just FYI, I make it a habit to reciprocate the kindness of friends-"

        fel "Mmmhhmmhmhh-!"

        ver "How do I taste Blondie?"

        fel "Mmmhh- Eeuhuh-"

        "From the looks of it, Felicia {i}was{/i} using her tongue, but she was on the back foot."

        ver "A-ah, don't try to multitask by answering t-that- I want all your focus on-"

        "*Shlick, shlwap, fwhiich-!*"

        "Felicia fought desperately to match the Amazon's erratic rhythm, to find a way to consistently pry apart Veronica's sex and use her pink tongue to plumb her depths."

        fel "Eeuhh- Eeuuhh-"

        "She was clearly {i}trying{/b}, but the unhinged way Veronica dragged her sex across her face made it difficult."

        ver "A-ah, o-oh- I h-haven't been this turned on since I had that bitch over my knee-"

        "The scene playing out on screen was more akin to a desperate housewife grinding herself against the corner of a washing machine than the act of two people sharing in cunnilingus."

        fel "Mmhh, hhmhm-"

        ver "Or m-maybe since... a-ahh... last week's photo shoot? Aeeeuhh- W-who can f-fucking sayyyy-♥♥"

        fel "Eeeuh, wwwhaa-"

        ver "N-nice work. You're not amazing at this, but I can tell you're hungry for it. Keep at it and you'll get-- nnggg!"

        "I don't think Veronica cared about Felicia's actual skill or effort. She was too high on the power of it all."

        fel "Hnnggg- Hnngguuk-"

        "She was getting off on having the beautiful face of a woman she held in contempt buried in her ass."

        ver "Ah, y-yes. {b}YES!{/b} By the way, you were right..."

        "Veronica had been playing it remarkably slowly up to this point, enduring her sexual urge by teasing the girls, but now it was all coming out."

        fel "Mmhh, ueeeuhh-?"

        ver "I do think you're beautiful. I, m-mean... h-how could I not?"

        fel "Mmmffff-!"

        ver "Hnn- N-now- a-ah, you've been a good friend! So I think it's time... ah..."

        fel "MMhmh.. ohmhmhwoohh..? A-aahammwwhh-"

        "Finally, Veronica made good on her promise of lick and be licked."

        fel "MMmhh, aaa-hh- hhaa-aaah♥♥♥"

        "Veronica leaned forward and buried herself in Felicia's crotch, creating an attractive, parallel line of two bodacious figures for the camera."

        "*Shlick, fwhiick...!"

        "It was a work of art how they grasped and held each other."

        fel "Hnngg-"

        "Long gorgeous legs moved to get out of the way, finding tight purchase hugging and forcing each other's bodies closer."

        "*Shlick, fwhiick, hhwwiick...!*"

        rose "Uugghh... now I'm the one left out..."

        "*Shlick, fwhiick, hhwwiick...!*"

        "Felicia and Veronica continued to pleasure each other, while I..."

        "{b}*Shlick, shlick, shlick, fwhhick, hwwwiiicki!*{/b}"

        ver "Then get over here!"

            kat "I'm starting to get offended, Mr. [mcl]. Does my hand not suffice?"

            kat "Don't you want to taste release?"

            mc "G-gah, f-fuck! It's not like I have any control over it!"

            sophia "Hmm..."

            "Every fiber of my being desperately anticipated climax. My reason had been eroded and my purpose replaced by the critical need to expunge every trace of nauseating desire from my body through my cock."

            "The hairs on my arm stood on end, the feeling in my extremities came and went like the tide, and a pervasive tingling feeling floated from my neck down to my tailbone - by all means, my body told me that I {b}should{/b} be coming."

            sophia "Interesting."

            "But I wasn't. My bloated dick burned against the soft palm of the old woman's hand, pulsating and twitching from the ceaseless stimulation, filling me with the irrational fear that I might literally explode if I didn't soon go careening into the void of sexual release."

            sophia "All things considered, he is showing a {b}surprising{/b} degree of longevity..."

            kat "Maybe your fragrance isn't as effective as you think it is."

            mc "G-gaahh!"

            sophia "Maybe..."

            mct "(No! It was definitely fucking effective!)"

            sophia "...but unlikely. Hey, [mcf]..."

            "Through lidded eyes, I could sense the blonde scooching closer and closer."

            sophia "The issue is that a young, well-traveled guy like you simply can't get off on an old woman's touch, right?"

            mc "That's not--"

            sophia "{b}{i}Isn't it?{/b}{/i}"

            "Even in my lust-addled state..."

            "My brain registered amazement over the willful way Sophia flipped the switch, going from detached aloofness to a man-killer just as easily as one would shed their clothes. "

            mc "Hnngg...!"

            kat "*Scoff* Feeling left out, were you?"

            sophia "Give them a comparison."

            "My hand responded independently, sinking into the pleasant give of the doctor's tit-flesh in an instant as what remained of my faculties disappeared into the whirlpool of her eyes."

            sophia "You got a mess lurking somewhere in there that you want to get out?"

            mc "Ha... hnngg...! F-fuck it!"

            sophia "...?!"

            "I kissed her, just as you'd expect a man on the brink of starvation to steal a loaf of bread."

            sophia "Mmmhhhh....!"

                "She might not have expected it or even wanted it, but she quickly accepted it as a consequence of the \"just a bit of chaos\" she wielded in her joust against Mrs. Pulman."

                "She might not have expected it or even wanted it, but she quickly accepted it as a consequence of the \"just a bit of chaos\" she wielded in her joust against Kathleen."

            kat "H-hey, ahh--"

            "Spurred on by having the attention of two beautiful women, even if it was just the fucked up equivalent of cooking ants with a magnifying glass to them, I knew it wouldn't be long until I finally had my release."

            kat "Gah, ah... ha... hmpfh."

            "Although I could feel her eyes on my neck, the old woman continued to milk me."

            "*Cwhup, fwhup, chwup...!*"

            kat "I've somehow ended up feeling like a third wheel."

            "I pawed at both women's breasts with a virgin-like fervor, wholly enamored by an opportunity I might never get again."

            mct "(The head of a charity and a world-class scientist... ha, fucking sluts!)"

            "I felt like a king, not of my own making of course, but my brain was so cooked as to not know the difference. Thinking was hard, but what few thoughts I could miraculously formulate were like tidal waves breaking against the shore."

            mct "(Who the hell do you think you're fucking with? You think you can toy with me just because of money?!)"

            "I felt smothered, suffocated, and hot. More akin to a wick that was about to burn out than a human being."

            mct "(I'M A GUINEA PIG TO YOU?!)"

            "Every sensation felt heightened, and every second felt prolonged... I genuinely feared that the moment I popped would be when I was snuffed out."

            mct "{size=+30}{font=/gui/fonts/MB-Thin_Worms.ttf}(You like to toy with pe-){/font}{/size}"

            "My brain gave out, but if I ceased to exist after this, I instinctively knew one thing: these last minutes of my life should be bold."

                "Goad the old woman into letting you finish in her mouth.":

                    mc "I'm about to b-blow..."

                    kat "You don't need my permission."

                    mc "Can you finish me with your mouth?"

                    kat "Hmmmmm, not going to happen."

                    mc "A-ah, pretty please? With a cherry on top?"

                    kat "Why don't you ask Miss Lundgren to do it?"

                    mc "...because I want you, Ma'am."

                    kat "...hmmmmmmmm. You have the eyes of a crazed animal, yet..."

                    kat "You're asking so nicely. God, I love that."

                    "She smirked like she had won against me, and perhaps even against Sophia."

                    kat "It really is goddamn adorable. Ask me again, [mcf]."

                    "A desperate, cloying urge inside me told me her mouth was the only place I wanted to be right now and if it took a bit of pleading to get me into a position where I could fill that mean bitch's stomach with my seed, then so be it."

                    mc "Hhh, haa... would you PLEASE finish me with your mouth, Mrs. Pulman?"

                        "Without another word, Mrs. Pulman lowered herself and..."

                        "Without another word, Kathleen lowered herself and..."

                    mc "G-gah...!"

                    "The moment her lips wrapped themselves around my cock, I felt like I might pass out."

                    "Her seal was so airtight that her mouth felt like an oven. Steady puffs of hot breath passed over the head of my cock as it made its way out through her nose."

                    mc "F-fuck, damn it!"

                    "*Shwuck, fgwhhuck, thwuuuck!&"

                    "What little air could escape from her hold transformed into {b}obscene{/b} noises as she inched herself up and down my shaft."

                    mc "H-holy-!"

                    "The running narration in my head was a jumbled mess, but through all the muddied noise from the pleasure soaking into my brain, I grasped a simple truth."

                    mc "Hnnng, you've sucked a lot of cock in your time, haven't you?!"

                    "*Thwaahp, fwhap, swhhuck~!*"

                    "The answer to that question played across my glans every time I wedged myself comfortably in her throat with zero fuss."

                    "Swhuck, hhhwhuck, fhhggguuk!*"

                    "{b}Damn it!{/b} A rich woman like her had no business sucking dick this well."

                    mc "Ghhn, haaat, hnnngg...!"

                    "She sucked me with the skill of a woman who had {b}nothing{/b} to her name."

                    kat "Mmmhm, hhmhm~"

                    "Just like her hand job, there was no wasted effort. She didn't tackle it in a clumsy frenzy, nor did she need to cautiously get used to my size."

                    "*Shwhuhuck, fwhhucuk, ghhwhuhuk!*"

                    "She sucked me like she had been sucking {b}my{/b} dick her whole life, pleasuring me at a steady and comfortable pace. I marveled at how, through a mere blowjob, a woman so cold and cruel could instantly imprint herself on my body as warm and welcoming."

                    "I was quickly understanding that \"adorable\" disparity she had just spoken "

                    mc "Hnng, h-how?!"

                    sophia "It's not performing brain surgery."

                        "{b}There{/b} was another perverse delight, speeding me toward my climax. Sophia's attention was on the back of Mrs. Pulman's head, watching intently as she debased herself in pursuit of degrading me."

                        "{b}There{/b} was another perverse delight, speeding me toward my climax. Sophia's attention was on the back of Kathleen's head, watching intently as she debased herself in pursuit of degrading me."

                    mct "(Haaaa... hope you like the show, bitch. You're the impetus for this.)"

                    "*Fwhhuck, ghhhukh, khggguuhhk*"

                    mc "Ahh... y-you dick swallowing--! Hnnngg...!"

                    "It was coming."

                    mc "You think I'm adorable?!"

                    "I was moments from blowing my load, and with it, the indignation from earlier swelled in me. I had wanted a bold finish before I met my end, and well..."

                    mct "(I'll show you adorable!)"

                    mc "I'm c-cumming, fucking drown in it, you damn--"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Mmmmh?!"

                    "Before she could even register what was happening, ropes of piping hot cum barreled down her esophagus on a one-way trip to her stomach."

                    play ambient "sound effects/fel2.wav"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Ghhkka, hkkaa-!"

                    "I pressed down hard, holding the old woman's head in place as she gargled my seed in abject surprise."

                    mc "Hnngg, all of it!"

                    "I pressed down so hard it hurt my groin."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    kat "Ghhuk, hhuuuh, hwwwhuuuck...!"

                    "It was massive, like I was cumming my very soul down the old woman's throat."

                    kat "Ghuk, khak, uuhhk-!"

                    mc "Gah, c-choke on it!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    "Not all of my load was making its way down her throat. To my perverse glee, I could {i}feel{/i} myself coating the lining of her throat."

                    kat "Ghhuk, hhuuuk...!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "Hope you like the fucking taste!"

                    kat "Mmmh, hhhngg?!?!"

                    sophia "I don't think she can breathe..."

                    mc "Good! She can breathe when I'm fucking--!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    ".........!"

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    "......!"

                    mc "A-aahh...!"

                    kat "Ugghhuhh..."

                    "Peace."

                    "Serenity."

                    "Satisfaction."

                    "In this moment, I had it all."

                    "With that, I happily died. The oblivion I felt nipping at my heels finally sank its sharp teeth into my throat."

                    "............"

                    "........."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    kat "Why are you holding your hands out like that? It's weird."

                    mct "(Ah, fuck... I {i}wasn't{/i} dead? {b}Oh no.{/b} Then that meant I just...)"

                    sophia "She's right. It's distracting."

                    "I didn't know how long I was out of it, but by the time I opened my eyes, the two women had collected themselves, and what I thought was a bold display of defiance was made pitiful and wholly expected by their bemused faces."

                        "Mrs. Pulman looked {i}totally{/i} unaffected by my rough treatment, showing no signs of having mercilessly guzzled my cum just moments ago..."

                        "Kathleen looked {i}totally{/i} unaffected by my rough treatment, showing no signs of having mercilessly guzzled my cum just moments ago..."

                    kat "Oh, by the way... you said some pretty outlandish things to me."

                    mc "If I recall, I did a bit more than that..."

                    kat "It was {b}adorable{/b}."

                    "She had indeed won."

                "Leave an impression on the doctor.":

                    "I knew what I wanted."

                    sophia "Mmmhh, hhhhh..."

                    "And that last act of defiance would be leaving the doctor, the root cause of all this, something to remember me by."

                    "*Chwup, fhwup~*"

                    "I wanted to hear this aloof bitch moan, so I focused everything on the woman whose mouth I was currently exploring."

                    sophia "Mmmh, hhmmm...?"

                    "It was a battle against my wits. Sophia was literally intoxicating. Focusing my senses all on her had me burning twice as fast."

                    "By instinct, I felt her breast over her clothes."

                    sophia "Mmhh..."

                    "Her coos told me she was receptive, but it wasn't quite the noise I wanted to drag out from the blonde."

                    sophia "Ghu, gha~ghhuu...!"

                    "Deciding that over the clothes touching wouldn't do it, I switched focus on the erogenous zone in her mouth, intensifying my efforts in an intricate dance to subdue her tongue with my own."

                    sophia "Mmmmh, mmhhhh- *chwuph, fhwhup~*"

                    "She wasn't a passive observer in my hunt; her tongue played coy, darting away and slipping from my grasp whenever I thought I had her pinned."

                    "It was mere seconds, but--"

                    "Chwhu, fhwwwup, chup!*"

                    "--but, in my fogged-over state, time held little sway over my perception. What was in reality a clumsy tussle felt like a long and protracted siege."

                    "I don't know if it was because of the perfume, but all bodily sensations gradually began to meld into one."

                    "The feeling of the old woman's hand milking my cock, the wet warmness of our kiss, the bubbling desire so strong that I was confident it would be the end of me..."

                    mc "Mmmh, hhhmmm-!"

                    "All of it spelled an overload melded and combined into a singular feeling of otherness. I was sure I had lost this battle until..."

                    "My brain registered a change."

                    mct "Was she...?"

                    sophia "Mmmh, hhmhm~aahhh...!"

                    "She was closer."

                    "She was pressing into me."

                    "She felt it."

                    "She was {b}heated{/b}."

                    "{i}She was kissing me back.{/i}"

                    "Whether it was done deliberately or on an instinctual level, her body responded favorably."

                    sophia "Ahh, hhhnnggg, mmmmhh-!"

                    "My hand found a place on her ass and I used that to spur her on even more. With this, I had physical confirmation of my success."

                    mct "(Fuck, what a great-!)"

                    "I could feel the hot dampness of her delicate spot."

                    sophia "Mmhh, hhaa...♥♥♥"

                    "She purred openly and I felt a petty relief over my trivial victory. The succubus driving me to this desperate state wouldn't escape our battle unscathed."

                    "*Chwup, fhwwup, khwwup*!"

                    "--and that wasn't the only sense of relief I felt."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "{b}Hnng, ah-!!!{/b}"

                    "I didn't know when it started, but ropes of cum geysered from my cock and rained down from the sky."

                    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

                    mc "Ghh, aaahh- sssshit--"

                    kat "Huh, {b}WOW{/b}."

                    mc "Hngg, hhhhmmmhh-~"

                    "All the suffocating vileness in me was expelled and released into the world. All my desperation spilled out onto our clothes and thighs."

                    "Soon need was replaced with..."

                    "Peace."

                    "Serenity."

                    "Satisfaction."

                    "Emptiness."

                    "The oblivion I felt nipping at my heels finally sank its sharp teeth into my throat."

                    "I was dead."

                    "............"

                    "........."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    sophia "Great, now we'll spend the rest of the show reeking of semen."

                    mct "(Ah, fuck... I {i}wasn't{/i} dead? {b}Oh no.{/b} Then that meant I just...)"

                    kat "You should've thought of that before you entered the crossfire."

                    sophia "You were taking too long. I wanted to put an end to the distraction."

                    "I didn't know how long I was out of it. Still, by the time I opened my eyes, the two women had collected themselves. The damage I thought I had done to Sophia with my counter-attack was made pitiful by their bemused faces."

                    kat "Oh, please. Are those the kind of sounds you make matter-of-factly?"

                    "Sophia looked as composed as ever, and except for a little blush, her attention turned back to the Carnations."

                    kat "I hope that provided you a measure of relief, Mr. [mcl]. That certainly was an... {i}explosive{/i} finish."

                    mc "A, ahem... thaaaaaanks?"

                    kat "Don't mention it. It was... interesting."

            mc "........."

            mc "......"

            play sound "sound effects/record-scratch.wav"

            "...this was my limit."

            mc "Aaeeh, I'll be riiiiiight back."

            "......"

            "..."

            kat "Is that a milder scent you are wearing?"

            sophia "It's the same batch as the bottle I gave you."

            kat "The effect seemed... less? Why's that?"

            sophia "It's possible that his body adapted and partially metabolized the odor molecules. All I can say is that it's remarkable he held out that long."

            sophia "It could be a matter of willpower."

            kat "When I had dinner with Charles the other night, he didn't even flinch."

            sophia "Dr. Kohler is a scary man."

            kat "Is that your appraisal after demolishing him game after game?"

            sophia "How else should I describe a man who has no need but keeps his passions tightly controlled."

            kat "That's why he and I are incompatible. He treats fucking like it's Christmas."

            kat "You don't have anything to worry about as long as you don't lose."

            sophia "I don't plan on it, but I have a feeling he eventually wins one way or another."

            kat "Abel wouldn't let it come to that, would he?"

            "......"

            "..."

            sophia "Thank you for indulging my little whim, Kathleen. It was amusing."

            kat "Don't mention it. One should make their own fun in life. Still..."

            kat "...you're very competent. Don't you ever desire more?"

            sophia "A frivolous bitch like you has no business saying that to me."

            kat "Ah, fuck. There it is."

            kat "I almost felt sorry for you."

        play music "music/landing.ogg"

        carnations "Mmhh, fweh... Gheee.. Mmhhh..."

        "While I was preoccupied with expunging my nauseating urges, the Carnations were in the thick of it."

        rose "Mmhh, ummffh, heeehhuu-"

        "Rosalind had replaced Felicia beneath the Amazon's wide hips, and just like before, Veronica wasn't shy about crudely grinding the MILF's face under her weight."

        "With the redhead getting \"hers\", it was left to Felicia to find gratification for both herself and her physically-engaged, muff-diving cohort."

        fel "*Cwhwup, fwhup* Mmhh, hhueeeh-"

        "The result was a sapphic, Ouroboros-like blending of curves and limbs, making it hard to distinguish where one woman began and the other ended."

        "*Chwup, fwhup, kwhup~*"

        "All pretense had melted away."

        carnations "Fwweeh, hhnnggg, hhnn, ggwwwweh-"

        "Veronica's domineering streak had all but receded, the only trace remaining was in the decisive way she pawed, kissed, and shook her hips."

        fel "Mmhh, hhhnhnaaaatt- Fwwweeeh-"

        "Felicia's bitching and moaning had been replaced with kiss-locked silence and focused, fiery concentration."

        carnations "Ghaa, gnnhhh, haaa *Chwup, shlick~* hhhaaa-"

        "Rosalind had practically disappeared off screen, perhaps even according to her own strategy, only to be used like a scratching post and as the engine source for a bevy of amorous noise."

        rose "{size=10}Mmhh, fweeh, ggwwweeh{/size=/10}"

        "Her muffled moans could barely be heard beneath the redhead's ass, and what made it through those freckled cheeks was co-opted into a chorus of sexual need that sounded anemic on the tv's piss-poor speakers."

        "*Cwhup, fwwhhuup-*"

        fel "N-hh, hhhnhn-"

        "*Chwup, fhwwu, khwwup~!*"

        fel "Enh, hhhhnn, wwwhhaaannn-"

        ver "A-ahh... you sing lovely for a caged bird..."

        fel "H-heh... aaah, y-you think you get it? You're so fucking full of yourself. At least my cage-"

        rose "MMmhh, mhhhww-"

        fel "...isn't collapsing on itself in debt."

        rose "MMmhh, unnngg, wwwhaaa-"

        ver "This isn't y-your first time doing-"

        "*Shlick, fwhick, hwwwhick!-"

        fel "Of c-course not! I'm n-not seasoned like you, but sometimes... h-haaa... the ooc-occasion calls for it."

        rose "Unngng, hheee, ehuugg-"

        fel "Hubby has requests, y'know...?"

        ver "H-haa... y-you're a good wife, aren't you? F-fuck... I should've tried being rich-"

        fel "MMhh, mmhhhh-!!!"

        "In the wake of their exchange, Veronica intensified her affection, sucking Felicia's face and savoring it like the last pizza slice."

        carnations "Mmmh, eeueuuh, feewwwh... *Chwwup, shlick* fewwweee...♥♥♥"

        "Not since her crowning moment during her interview, a night that only Samson and Isaac witnessed, had Veronica looked so comfortable in her element within these four walls."

        "*Chwup, fhwwip~*"

        "She hadn't quite \"punished\" the girls, but she gave the camera an unfettered glimpse of what she truly desired."

        carnations "Mmmhh, heeeuuhh, gwwwuuuk-!!!"

        "And it turns out, what she desired was beautiful women and an opportunity to let her id roam free."

        carnations "Eeeuuhh, gwwwhhha, hwwwaanngg"

        "Veronica and I weren't so different in that regard."

        carnations "Hnnng, eeeuhuhh-♥♥"

        "On different terms, she might even fit in at a place like this..."

        ver "Mmhh, hheee...?!"

        ver "Mmhh, eehh-"

        ver "Ahh, hhn... h-hang o-h, s-snaaaaap-ghh-♥♥♥"

        rose "Hnngg, ggeehhh...?! Mmghhhh...!"

        "From my own vivid experience of being beneath that Amazon, I sympathized with Rosalind."

        rose "Mmggwww-!!!"

        "As she came, Veronica instinctually pushed her ass toward the source of her pleasure, bearing down on Rosalind with a startling amount of her body weight."

        rose "Mmhwwwh, hhhnnggg, gwwwhhh-"

        ver "Ah- y-yeeeahh..."

        "........."

        "......"

        "..."

        ver "I know you girls aren't finished, right?"

        fel "Hell no."

        rose "Mmhh, hhnhhh...:"

        ver "Good. I sure as shit ain't either."

        "So they carried on, coming together with the common, selfish goal of getting themselves off."

        "I'm not sure how long it lasted; I just know..."

    mct "(Goddamn it...)"

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "It took me a while to collect myself."

    $ history_sophia = "I spent an unusual amount of time with Sophia, while she sat in during Kat's punishment game. I got the feeling it was more of a test than a game..."

    play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            "Despite unleashing my need and blowing a fat wad down that hag's throat, I was still feeling... {i}out of sorts{/i}."

            "Despite that hag's handy and blowing my load into the stratosphere, I was still feeling... {i}out of sorts{/i}."

        "Despite jacking off a couple of times, I was still feeling a bit... {i}frazzled{/i} and out of sorts."

    "It wasn't quite enough... Although I could think clearly and function, everything felt just a little topsy-turvy."

    mc "Gah..."

    "Strangely, I no longer felt the anger I had when I felt like I had no control."

        "I had overwhelmingly felt it when Mrs. Pulman jabbed me with that needle a week before. But now, it all felt {b}normal.{/b}"

        "But now, it all felt... {b}normal.{/b}"

    play music "music/sonatina-in-c-minor.ogg"

    "Okay, maybe that's just a tinsy bit of bullshit. I still felt annoyed, but this madness, in an indirect way, was my own making... and I was on the comfortable side of things, unlike the scene I just witnessed."

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    kat "There you are. How are you feeling?"

    mc "Like I want to piss and jerk off all over your face."

    kat "Amazing, isn't it? For the record, I wasn't aware she would be wearing that when she asked to sit and observe."

    mc "I'm getting used to it. Did you have fun?"

    kat "Oh, I {i}always{/i} enjoy myself."

    kat "Even when things don't go to plan or I... {i}lose{/i}, I never feel like I did."

    kat "It's strange, but I don't think I ever felt an ounce of genuine anger in my life."

    mc "I don't believe that."

    kat "I'm not saying I don't ever get annoyed at the \"obstacles\" that get in my way, or find a situation that calls for the theatrics of anger."

    kat "But at the end of the day, what sense is there in getting angry over a game?"

    mc "Spoken like a woman who can stack the deck in their favor."

    kat "Oh, I don't know... I might very well be turning the corner into a major loss soon. We'll see."

    mc "......"

    mc "..."

    mc "How are the girls?"

    kat "They're getting dressed."

    mc "How {b}are{/b} they?"

    kat "They probably feel pent up, but they seemed functional enough. It's understandably more soft feelings than hard ones right about now."

    mc "So, do you need anything else from me? Am I done here today?"

    kat "Nope, you're done! Good job, Mr. [mcl]."

    kat "Before you go, I wanted to ask: how did you find the club's hospitality last Saturday?"

    mc "...?"

    kat "Remember, I asked you to enjoy it and give me your thoughts."

    kat "It was mostly an excuse to try and get you to let loose, but a task is a task. What did you think?"

    if w2ExEmmaFavor == "fulfilled" or w2ExLezSeen == True:

            "Tell her you just walked around.":

                mc "I mostly just walked around... mingled."

                    kat "Oh, you did more than just mingle. You and Dalia joined Samson in the sauna."

                    mc "You know about that?"

                    kat "Of course."

                    mc "..."

                    kat "I did tell you to have fun, but I didn't expect you to go mano a mano in the sauna with a couple of whores."

                    mc "I like his movies."

                    kat "Oh, I bet you do..."

                    mc "...uh, Dalia was great?"

                    kat "She always is."

                    kat "Harper might give her a run for her money if only she was a more classical beauty, but they both have their uses."

                    mc "Right..."

                    kat "I do hope you got what you wanted out of that Has Been."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    mc "...he's a giant prick."

                    kat "He has his uses."

                    kat "Oh, [mcf]. You're like a diabetic in a candy store."

                    mc "I mean... everything seemed fine? I don't really know what the criteria is."

                    kat "You most certainly do."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                    kat "Oh, for-- just... let loose next weekend. That's an order."

                    mc "Right."

            "Mention the Emma situation." if w2ExEmmaFavorIan == True or w2ExEmmaFavorChuck == True or w2ExEmmaFavorSolo == True:

                mc "Nothing too interesting. Jacob did ask me to keep an eye on Emma for him."

                kat "Ah yes, that... {i}romantic.{/i} For a man with such a bloody past, he sure is a softy."

                "I chose to cautiously file away that bit of information but not draw attention to it."

                kat "He sure is an interesting fellow. August did well in finding someone to offset Warren's personality."

                mc "What are you talking about?"

                kat "Eh, ask him sometime. He's the pimp."

                kat "The way I understand it, they each have their function when it comes to the discipline of this place."

                mc "You should keep Warren on a tighter leash."

                kat "Aw, don't fret. He never does any permanent damage."

                    kat "Besides, the girls now have you to get them off the floor. Smart thinking sending her to Mr. Beaufort, you washed your hands of culpability."

                    kat "Besides, the girls now have you to get them off the floor. Leaning on Charle's fondness of you to get it done was pretty bold."

                    kat "August never has it in him to question Charles."

                    kat "Besides, the girls now have you to get them off the floor. Shielding Emma by getting her to film herself was an attractive solution."

                mc "You know about that?"

                kat "Of course."

                "......"

                "..."

                kat "Relax, unlike August, I don't give a shit about the minute-to-minute comings and goings of the house girls. If cutting them some slack where you can makes you feel better about yourself, go for it."

                kat "I trust if you do, it'll be done with wisdom and discretion."

                mc "...s'alright."

            "Mention Harper and Lucy" if w2ExLezSeen == True:

                mc "Well, I..."

                mct "(Was there any point in mentioning this?)"

                "It's not like I needed to score any points with the old woman, but it was the most notable thing I could mention."

                mc "Nothing too interesting. I learned that Harper and Lucy are pretty fond of each other."

                kat "Oh...?"

                mc "Yeah, Dalia asked me to peek in on them."

                kat "Really? On company time?"

                "......"

                "..."

                kat "Well, she's doing a better job than I expected."

                mc "Wait... you're aware of them--"

                kat "Of course. I was the one who told her to support our would-be Carnation and help her not go anywhere."

                mc "Then Harper and Lucy are just because of you...?"

                kat "Oh, it's nothing cynical. It's not like I ordered her to seduce that stupid whore; that must be how it developed between them. I'm sure they're actually quite fond of each other."

                kat "You shouldn't mention it to August, though. He's a stickler when it comes to the discipline of the girls."

                kat "He wouldn't see the value of this kind of relationship as I do."

                mc "I wasn't planning on it."

                kat "...yet, you mentioned it to me?"

                mc "..."

                kat "Good boy."

        mc "I mostly just walked around... mingled."

            kat "Oh, you did more than just mingle. You and Dalia joined Samson in the Sauna."

            mc "You know about that?"

            kat "Of course."

            mc "..."

            kat "I did tell you to have fun, but I didn't expect you to go mano a mano in the sauna with a couple of whores"

            mc "I like his movies."

            kat "Oh, I bet you do..."

            mc "...uh, Dalia was great?"

            kat "She always is."

            kat "Harper might give her a run for her money if only she were a more classical beauty, but they both have their uses."

            mc "Right..."

            kat "I do hope you got what you wanted out of that Has Been."

            "......"

            "..."

            mc "...he's a giant prick."

            kat "He has his uses."

            kat "Oh, [mcf]. You're like a diabetic in a candy store."

            mc "I mean... everything seemed fine? I don't really know what the criteria is."

            kat "You most certainly do."

            "......"

            "..."

            kat "Oh, for-- just... let loose next weekend. That's an order."

            mc "Right."

        play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

        "*Beep*"

        mct "(It's Mina...)"

        kat "Well, I'll leave you to it."

        mct "(What does she...?)"

            "She said she wanted to play some games and a very conspicuous \"whatever\"...?"

                mct "(Well, this was inevitable. With what I promised Hana last night, I should probably tell her I can't help with her list anymore... {b}right{/b}...?)"

                "The least I can do is tell her in person."

                "Well, I am still feeling a little frisky... and quite frankly, Mina's company sounded like sweet relief from the tension of this place."

            "Shockingly, she said she was bored and wanted to hang out."

            mct "(I can't bring myself to say no after turning her down like I did the other night...)"

        "......"

        "..."

        mc "If you don't mind, I'm going to leave."

        kat "Have an enjoyable rest of your evening, Mr. [mcl]."

        "......"

        "..."

        "{i}Thanks{/i}."

    ## Path 1

    "After killing time at Ian's"

    "I thought it best if Mina and I met on familiar, intermediary grounds. If I was going to be frank with her about Hana, there was no sense in having one of us go all the way to the other's place only to awkwardly remain after ending our bizarre deal."

    "Of course..."

    play music "music/happy-boy-end-theme.ogg"

    mina "[mcf]! Hey!"

    mc "Been waiting long?"

    mina "Nope, just--"

    mina "Mmmmh, just got here."

    "Of course, the moment I saw her glowing face and felt the force of her thermonuclear hug, I remembered why I had entered the deal with her in the first place."

    mc "Come to think of it, this is where we first met, wasn't it?"

    mina "Sure was!"

    "I had come here, intending to do the right thing by Hana..."

        "Hug her tighter.":

            mct "(Ah, fuck it. There's no harm in being friendly.)"

            "For the sake of recollection, even if it was just a few weeks ago."

            mc "How are you?"

            mina "I was bored, but now I'm better by the second!"

            mc "I expected you might say that, but let's order while the line is so short."

        "Kiss her on the forehead.":

            "I couldn't deny that-"

            "*Cwhup!*"

            "...that even if I had only known her for a few weeks, moments like this conjured up a swell of affection."

            mina "That tickles!"

            mc "Sorry, but let's order while the line is so short."

        "Suggest we order.":

            mc "We should order while the line is so short."

    mina "Good idea!"

    mc "This is even the same table as the day we met."

    mina "Ha ha, is it?"

    mc "Yep. I can recall it vividly... because, for a measly second, you actually looked annoyed to meet me."

    mina "No, I didn't!"

    mc "You did! I remember it because what came after that single second was one hell of a greeting."

    mina "Oh no, you had me pegged as a fake bitch from the beginning, huh?"

    mc "I saw someone {i}choosing{/i} to make someone feel welcome."

    mina "Hmpfh... feels like a long time ago."

    mc "Yeah... you had a boyfriend back then, if I remember correctly."

    mina "...did I?"

    mina "......"

    mina "...feels more like an anchor wrapped around my neck in hindsight."

        mc "Are you over the hump?"

        mina "I guess Ian told you?"

        mc "Yep, we hung out Sunday morning, right after you broke the news. Are you over the hump?"

    mina "Who knows? Too early to say I'm not gonna get weepy out of nowhere, but I'm feeling pretty good right now. It occurs to me..."

    mina "This is my first time being single and out with a man in nearly a year."

    mc "You know, the world's your oyster. You're free to do it with anyone you want now."

    mina "Don't joke about that! You sound like Felicia~ trying to get me to play the field."

    mc "Well... I mean... {i}shouldn't{/i} you? Your goal is to get some experience, right? Want me to play wingman for you so--"

    mina "Are you TRYING to hurt my feelings? I know we're not dating, but WHO am I getting coffee with right now?"

    "......"

    "..."

    "I came here to tell her I couldn't help her with her list, but looking at the anger on Mina's face at my mere suggestion..."

    mct "(This must be what it feels like to {i}swoon{/i}.)"

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "The only person... ah."

    "I came here to tell her I had changed my mind, but with the way she was blushing..."

    mina "Y-you are..."

    mina "{size=-10}TheonlypersonIwanttobewithrightnowisyou.{/size=-10}"

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "I couldn't hear you."

    mina "I said..."

    mina "Right now, the only person I want to do stuff like that with is you, [mcf]."

    "Shit like {b}that{/b}, said with that face... made me realize just how susceptible I was to a woman's wiles despite other intentions."

    mc "Goddamnit, you're an oustanding actress."

    mina "What?! I'm embarrassed as hell right now!"

    mc "Enough that you had to bury your face in your arms?"

    mina "Body language is crucial..."

    "...or perhaps there was something about Mina that I couldn't resist."

        "Reaffirm your intention to help her.":

            play music "music/ukulele-fun.ogg"

            "I knew this was a violation of what I promised Hana last night."

            mc "Sorry. I'm just teasing you."

            "A promise I didn't have to make but did."

            mc "You know I promised to help you."

            "A promise that I made to Hana despite another promise given to Mina."

            mc "Is... that why you called today?"

            "My mind could justify this decision in any number of ways."

            mina "Mmmhh...?"

            "Hana will probably never find out, but even if she did..."

            mina "...a girl's got a hope?"

            "What hope did we actually have to last?"

            mc "Well, then... finish your coffee."

            "Besides, Mina would come to her senses and realize that our relationship is predicated on her girlish heartbreak and that this whole list thing was asinine and I had nothing to actually offer her as a person..."

            mc "Finish your coffee and we'll start seeing about that list of yours."

            "--those kinds of justifications. I refused to make them. If you're going to be shitty, I believe you should embrace it."

            mina "O-oh..."

            "Acknowledging the consequences of your actions is the most critical step in taking precautions against them."

            "And at the end of the day, even if it casts light on me being a fool, I wanted to enjoy Mina's company more. That was all there was to it."

            "I'm a selfish asshole."

        "Resist. Tell Mina about your new relationship with Hana.":

            play music "music/future-rennaisance.ogg"

            mc "Things have changed."

            "Like diving into a cold pool, I shut off my brain and spit the words out."

            mina "Things have... {i}changed{/i}?"

            mc "Yeah... uh... as it happened, I got myself into a committed relationship last night."

            "......"

            "..."

            mina "You know I came here, hoping... {b}w-wow.{/b}"

            mina "Wow, that's a kick in the fucking stomach."

                mina "Hana, right...? Ha... you told me it was a casual thing."

                mc "I {i}really{/i} thought that, but... ah... you have every right to be angry after I promised that I-"

                mina "I guess you two must've had a thing and then I went and forced myself on you the other day."

                mc "It was unexpected and just happened."

                mina "What kind of bullcrap- ah..."

                mc "You have every right to be angry after I promised that I-"

            mina "I'm not angre- ah, I mean, I kinda am? Feelin' kinda a lot of things..."

            mina "In my head, I knew this wasn't a-- I still kinda had some expectations-- and definitely didn't think our fun would end this soon."

            mc "I shouldn't have been so haphazard with my promises."

                mina "When you dropped by the other night, I thought..."

                mc "I'm sorry."

                mina "Well, it's not like you strung me along... I came onto you."

                mina "Well, I'm the one who came onto you so hard, so it's not like you strung me along."

            mc "I feel like a fucking asshole considering the timing with you and Ian."

            mina "...I  want to agree with you, but those are hurt feelings. I'm actually glad you're a decent guy."

                mina "You could've dated her and fucked me on the side, but you didn't. You were... upfront. {i}Sort of{/i}."

                mina "You could've dated whoever and--"

                mc "It's Hana."

                mina "Hana..? Ha, that makes sense."

                mina "You could've dated her and fucked me on the side, but you didn't. You were... upfront. {i}Sort of{/i}."

            mina "Gives me some hope about what's out there..."

            mina "Still feel like rejected trash..."

            mc "......"

            mina "..."

            "We awkwardly finished our coffee, and then Mina wisely thought it best for her to return home."

            "She reassured me that she was fine and that she was grateful for my honesty but it all sounded half-hearted."

            "She even said she hoped to remain friends and I said so too, but I doubted. Still, to her immense credit..."

            mina "[mcf]...?"

            mc "Yeah?"

            mina "Come here!"

            play music "music/inner-light.ogg"

            mc "Mina..."

            "To her credit, her hug goodbye had every ounce of goodwill and warmth as the day we met."

            "I knew, from her hug alone..."

            mina "Hana's really cool."

            "I knew from her hug that she really did mean those words."

            mina "I hope you two build something that makes my dumb feelings right now worth it."

            "I knew from her hug that her fear of only imitating how to respond to situations was a load of crap."

            mc "Well, it's just starting out... so..."

            "I knew from her hug that Mina was graced with a beautiful, loving presence."

            mina "Thanks again for being there for me these past few days."

            "I knew from her hug that Mina was the kind of warm person I wondered if I could ever be."

    ## Path 2

    "After leaving Ian's..."

    "Naturally, given the nature of our relationship, I expected things might take an eventual horizontal turn, but Mina's public company was a treat unto itself."

    mct "(Man, she looks--)"

    play music "music/ukulele-fun.ogg"

    mina "[mcf]! Hey!"

    mc "Been waiting long?"

    mina "Nope, just--"

    mina "Mmmmh, just got here."

    "As she forcefully pressed her body into mine with her characteristic bubbly enthusiasm, I could feel my day getting sweeter by the second."

    mc "Stop, you're going to give me diabetes."

    mina "Ehehe~"

    mc "Come to think of it, this is where we first met, wasn't it?"

    mina "Sure was!"

    "This brought me back to the time Ian introduced the two of us. Just mere weeks, but it..."

    mct "(Feels like a long time ago.)"

        "Hug her tighter.":

            mct "(Ah, fuck it. There's no harm in being friendly.)"

            mc "How are you?"

            mina "Mmmmh, I was bored, but now things are looking up!"

            mc "I expected you might say that, but let's order while the line is so short."

        "Kiss her.":

            mc "Hey, look up for a second."

            mina "...huh? Wha-"

            "*Chwup~"

            "That was the one remarkable difference between then and now."

            mina "Mmmhh..."

            "There was no Ian here, only Mina and myself, and she freely gave her lips to me."

            mc "Let's order while the line is so short."

    mina "Mmmm-kay!"

    mc "This is even the same table as the day we met."

    mina "Ha ha, is it?"

    mc "Yep. I can recall it vividly... because, for a measly second, you actually looked annoyed to meet me."

    mina "No, I didn't!"

    mc "You did! I remember it because what came after that single second was one hell of a greeting."

    mina "Oh no, you had me pegged as a fake bitch from the beginning, huh?"

    mc "I saw someone {i}choosing{/i} to make someone feel welcome."

    mina "Hmpfh... feels like a long time ago."

    mc "Funny, I thought that myself."

    mina "Is that funny?"

    mc "If I remember correctly... you had a boyfriend back then."

    mina "...did I?"

    mina "......"

    mina "...feels more like an anchor wrapped around my neck in hindsight."

        mc "Are you over the hump?"

        mina "I guess Ian told you?"

        mc "Yep, we hung out Sunday Morning, right after you broke the news. Are you over the hump?"

    mina "Who knows? Too early to say I'm not gonna get weepy out of nowhere, but I'm feeling pretty good right now. It occurs to me..."

    mina "This is my first time being single and out with a man in nearly a year. I can flirt as much as I want!"

    mc "If I also recall correctly, that didn't stop you before."

    mina "....."

    mina "..."

    mina "Can you blame me? ...and if *I* remember correctly, you flirted RIGHT back."

    mc "...you think *I* know how to flirt? That's all in your head."

    mina " I do know some things about you for sure."

    mc "...?"

    mina "You know how to grab me... hold me..."

    mina "Kiss me up here... and..."

    mina "...kiss me down-"

    mc "You didn't call to play games today, did you?"

    mina "Ehehe, maybe not!"

    "Her smile was sumptuous and giggle infectious. Just looking at her filled me with a sense of importance."

        mina "You know, when you dropped by Saturday night... you left me hanging..."

        mina "After what you did to me last Friday, I've missed you..."

    "This woman was a kingmaker. Her time was perhaps wasted on someone like me, but I would happily and greedily gobble it up if she allowed me."

    mc "I figured you would've come to your senses by now about this arrangement."

    mina "...it's not JUST about the list, stupid."

    mc "What else is it about?"

    mina "......"

    mina "..."

    mina "Who you take the journey with is just as important as the destination."

    "A kingmaker indeed. I was brimming with confidence I hadn't earned."

    mc "Just the right time, right place..."

    "I was the most convenient person for her to latch onto, was my thought that was meant to temper my rapidly inflating self-worth."

    mina "Right time, right place... some kindness, some acceptance..."

    mina "A REALLY killer tongue."

    "Okay... that I felt I earned."

    mina "So... will you... show me a \"nice\" time today, [mcf]?"

    mc "After the day I've had... goddamnit, I'm happy to hear that."

    mina "It's only early in the afternoon! What kind of day could you possibly have had?"

    mc "A *frustrating* one."

    mina "Oh..."

    mc "{b}Finish{/b} your coffee."

    mina "O-ohh-"

    mc "You have a long list."

    ## Path 3

    "After spending time at Ian's..."

    "I was glad to see that despite my rejection, Mina thought of me as a friend."

    mct "(There she was!)"

    play music "music/happy-boy-end-theme.ogg"

    mina "[mcf]! Hey!"

    mc "Been waiting long?"

    mina "Nope, just--"

    mina "Mmmmh, just got here."

    "Like always, she hugged me as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and she really made me believe it."

    mc "Come to think of it, this is where we first met, wasn't it?"

    mina "Sure was!"

    "If she held any bitterness from me turning her down last Friday, then she didn't let it show through."

        "Make a joke":

            mc "Killing me with kindness?"

            mina "...eh? What?"

            mc "Nothing. I'm glad to see you too. How are you?"

            mina "{b}Gooooooood!{/b}"

            mc "Line's looking pretty short. Let's get some drinks."

        "Hug her tighter.":

            mct "(Ah, fuck it. There's no harm in being friendly.)"

            mc "How are you?"

            mina "Mmmmh, I was bored, but now things are looking up!"

            mc "I expected you might say that, but let's order while the line is so short."

    mina "Good idea!"

    mc "I didn't expect to hear from you, at least not so soon."

    mina "Oh, no. I hope I wasn't imposing by asking-"

    mc "That's not what I was getting at. Just that I would understand if I never heard from you again."

    mc "I mean, what kind of idiot forces someone to stick around and watch a movie after... well..."

    mina "No, no no! I'm glad you did! I said as much, didn't I?"

    mc "I don't remember. Maybe?"

    "Honestly, the whole of June feels like a fog..."

    mina "Well, what you did was extremely helpful... it put things into perspective for me..."

    mina "I thought a man's first priority was sex... that was what it seemed like to me..."

    mina "Point is, the fact that you stuck around to be a friend, that was better than if you had given me what I was hoping for."

    "......"

    "..."

    "Her words felt convenient and I didn't know how to respond without sounding full of myself."

    mina "Like, {b}really{/b}."

    mc "...I heard from Ian that you two broke up."

    mina "That's right... it went..."

    mina "It went a lot smoother than I imagined it."

    mc "Great, I'm glad. You got a dating history now!"

    mina "I guess I do, huh? Pretty big baggage for the first go around..."

    mc "Healthy dose of wisdom too perhaps. Don't fall for the same shit next time, right?"

    mina "Pff, I'll try not to!"

    mc "..."

    mc "...you know, this is the same table we sat at when we first met."

    mina "Ha ha, is it?"

    mc "Yep. I can recall it vividly... you looked pretty unhappy about meeting me."

    mina "No I didn't! I didn't show that, did-"

    mc "You did! You looked unhappy, but you quickly bounced back in like a fraction of an instant. The only reason I remember it is you gave me a great, big, remarkably warm greeting after that."

    mina "Uuuhg, you had me pegged as a fake bitch from the beginning?"

    mc "You didn't let your gut reaction control you. That's cool."

    mina "Hmpfh... feels like a long time ago."

    mc "Ha, doesn't it?"

    "......"

    "..."

    "As a moment of silence came to pass, Mina just smiled warmly and waited patiently for a sprout of a conversation to grow, well aware that it would only become an {i}awkward{/i} silence if we allowed it to be so."

    "Following suit, I didn't let my mind turn inward and self-analyze. Instead, I just did what was natural: focus on the pretty lady before me."

    "Mina, like usual, looked stunning today. Of course, that went without saying, but there was just something about a blonde in a simple pair of daisy dukes that... and not to mention the sheerness of her blouse that... ah..."

    "With any luck, to return hers in kind, looking Mina over put a smile on my face."

    mc "So... what did you want to do today?"

    "Because, failing that, I probably just look like a pervert."

    mina "Umm... well, I don't actually know... ha, I asked you to hang with no plan whatsoever!"

    mina "I expected you to blow me off. The only thing we have in common is video games, which goes for everyone..."

    mc "Don't worry. We'll come up with something. Actually, how about..."

    mina "Hmm...?"

    mc "How 'bout we just spend the day figuring out what other interests we have in common."

    mina "That... sounds {i}lovely{/i} to me, [mcf]."

    mc "Let's start here. You like coffee?"

    mina "Yeah! Who doesn't?"

    mc "Me."

    mina "Pffh, why are you drinking it?"

    mc "We're at a coffee shop."

    mina "Pfffh, haa, hha- what kind of logic is that? Hahahaha"

    mina "You should've got tea!"

    mc "I'm even less of a tea drinker."

    mina "I thought we were trying to find things we had in common."

    mc "You don't ever find yourself going with the flow sometimes?"

    mina "That- ah, I {b}do{/b}..."

    mc "Let's mark that down as something we have in common."

    mina "Ha! Yeah, okay, sure!"

    mc "See? You're really good with going with the flow. So, let's keep that momentum going and say... go for a walk?"

    mina "Hehehe, sure."

    mina "Let's finish the coffee you don't like first."

    mc "This barely counts as coffee."

    play music "music/ukulele-fun.ogg"

    "So, we set out on a quest, chatting and aimlessly hoofing it around the city."

    "Naturally, we only shared a few interests. That was to be expected between me not having very many in the first place and our upbringings being so vastly different."

    "The one thing that our walk did help me understand was something that was vastly more important than common hobbies or geeking out over the same shit."

    "Mina simply had something that I lacked."

    "Like a cat basking in the warmth of a radiator, it was a delight to be around her."

    "I already knew this, but it confirmed her uncanny ability to make you feel important."

    "She was a great listener, eye contact and smile never wavering as I griped about the aspects of university life I found annoying."

    mct "(Wait, am I really bitching this much?)"

    "Sure, I'd admit a thing or two to my mom, but it was pouring freely with Mina."

    "Up to this point, all we had ever talked about was Ian, her work, her life... everything had a cause, and it was rarely about me. Of course, I preferred that way, but now she was extracting details from me that I was happy to provide."

    play sound "sound effects/car-beep.wav"

    "I told her about my experience growing up without a dad, which she related to herself as a child of divorce."

    "I yammered in detail about things I often thought about but rarely spoke... memories of summer camp and the rare vacation my mom managed to swing."

    "Yep, we had very little in common besides sharing a time, a place, and a mood. That was WONDERFULLY simple in my mind."

        "That was all that was needed for a good friendship."

        "...oh, and truth be told, on a superficial level, I enjoyed the jealous look of strangers trying to figure out what the deal was."

        "...oh, and truth be told, on a superficial level, I enjoyed the jealous look of strangers trying to figure out what the deal was."

        "I enjoyed our company so much that a root of self-doubt planted itself in my head."

        "What did the radiator get from the cat?"

    mc "Can I ask you something? Do you actually enjoy talking to me?"

    mina "Huh...? {b}Yeah!{/b} You're a lot of fun!"

    "No hesitation."

    mc "Thanks..."

    mina "Yeah, no problem! Why the heck do you ask?"

    mc "Just being on brand for a guy like me."

    mina "How do you figure you're like, [mcf]? I'd love to hear it!"

    mc "...lacking in interpersonal value?"

    mina "Where would you get that idea? Have we not been \"inter-personalizing\" the last month?"

    mc "Eh... I chalk it all up to convenience, circumstance, and the brewing storm with Ian..."

    mina "Well, fuck you too."

    mc "Shit, I didn't mean to make you mad."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Why are you mad?"

    mina "Figure it out, you geek!"

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you sound opportunistic."

    mina "Yeeeeeah, you did..."

    mc "I'm a cynical person. The things I say reflect more on me than others."

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "No, I get it..."

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "I mean, I confessed to you that I think I'm a freakin' robot sometimes. {b}I get it{/b}."

    mina "I see those qualities in other people too. It's why I can't wrap my head around why you wanted to hang out today."

    mina "Men and women... what do they do together besides sex? If you don't want {i}that{/i}, then what the hell do I even offer?"

    mc "Damn. You're just as bad as me."

    mina "Maybe!"

    mc "The all-girls-school into dating a shitbag did a number on how you think about guys, huh?"

    mina "Definitely!"

    mc "Truth be told, I find you very soothing to be around."

    mina "H-huh...? Heh, I don't know how I should take that."

    mc "That and I have next to no friends. Can't be picky, but what about you?"

    mina "Hurt pride...?"

    mc "Ha, that really it?"

    mina "You decide, Mr. Cynic."

    "......"

    "..."

    "Yet another silence, in a long series of silences today..."

    "As always, Mina smiled openly without showing any doubt or fear."

    "All day I found that admirable, but it was also sad, wasn't it?"

        "{color=#FF1493}[Romance]{/color} Fuck it. You're only a man.":

            "This time, I went with the flow - pushing all doubts about motivation and circumstances back down into my gut."

                "Was the situation all that different from the other day? Nah."

            "Not at all."

                "Did the fact she broke up with Ian change anything?"

            "I mean... waiting a whole two days?  Not to him, but it may have made an appreciable difference for us."

            "It was now in Mina's court if she wanted to return my rejection."

                play music "music/inner-light.ogg"

                mina "Mmmhhh..."

                "She accepted, and I refused to ruminate on why."

                " Did she really find my company worthwhile? I'll trust her."

                mina "A-aah...!"

                "I'll trust her and sit my ass as close to that radiator as I can get."

                mina "Ha, haa...! S-seriously-!"

                mc "What?"

                mina "Mixed signals, much?!"

                mc "As you astutely pointed out earlier... I'm a guy and you're a--"

                mina "Shut up."

                mina "MMmhh..!"

                "This time, she pressed her lips to mine, with an added dose of frustration."

                mct "(Man, I got to ask her where she gets her lip balm, she tastes-)"

                mina "That was true the other day too, you pasty freak."

                mc "Timing is important."

                mina "What? Not good enough to pull you in the first go, but good enough to wear you down?"

                mc "Last time it was about Ian."

                mina "It was a lot of things..."

                mc "Now it felt more like just the two of us sitting on a bench, so I forgot everything else."

                mina "You don't know how close I was to spitting in your face."

                mc "But you didn't."

                mina "..."

                mc "Thank you for not doing that."

                mina "Mmmhh..."

                "*Chwup, fwhup~*"

                    play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

                mina "Wanna go back to your place?"

                "She was surprisingly forward."

                mc "Ian's sick, but you never know; he could drop by. How about yours?"

                mina "When I was brooding this weekend, I realized something."

                mc "...?"

                mina "Way too pink!"

                mc "Pffh- really?"

                mina "*Gulp* Let's... let's get a hotel room..."

                mc "Okay."

                "Go with the flow."

                play music "music/everything-you-wanted.ogg"

        "{color=#FF1493}[Friend]{/color} Let's go play some video games.":

            play music "music/happy-whistling-ukulele.ogg"

            "As I had previously, I felt a tug from inside of myself, compelling me to close the distance between myself and the pretty girl and see where it all led."

            "Just as I had previously, I ignored that urge."

            "*Boop!*"

            mina "Pffha, ha-haha- w-wha~ ah... you looked so serious for a moment!"

            mc "Let's go drop by the arcade."

            mina "Hehe, sure!"

                mc "You know, I remember last time you ended up owing me a favor. Maybe we'll make it another one."

                mina "Fat chance! That's only because you got my brother to distract me!"

                mc "You knew?"

                mina "Pff, you try hard! Do you think he didn't tell me?"

                mina "Maybe I'll get another piggyback out of it."

                mc "You should aim higher than that."

                mina "Should I?"

    play music "music/happy-whistling-ukulele.ogg"

    mina "You got something on your lip."

    mc "Oh..?"

    "Mina was very kind."

    mc "Did I get it?"

    "I played along."

    mina "Yeah, all gone."

    mc "Thanks..."

    mina "Don't mention it..."

    "......"

    "..."

    "Even now, she smiled."

    mina "Want to go watch a movie?"

    mc "Ha, hahaha! Oh-"

    "Okay, she didn't let it {i}totally{/i} slide."

    mina "What's so funny? Isn't that like the only thing you do besides studying?"

    mc "Ha, ohhaoo..!"

    mina "Dang nerd, but no thanks. I think I'm going to head home."

    play ambient "sound effects/city-night.wav"

    mina "So... uh..."

    mina "You were implying that we are going to-"

    mc "So, what do you want to do?"

    mina "What?"

    mc "It's up to you. I'm at your disposal."

    mina "Euech... don't say it like that!"

    mc "We could play games like you said, maybe watch a movie..."

    play music "music/everything-you-wanted.ogg"

    mc "You could pick anything on your \"list\" and we can see about making it a reality..."

    mina "*Gulp* A-anything...?"

    mc "Why don't you tell me what's on it?"

    mina "That's, uh... ah..."

    mc "We're past the point of you being shy."

    mina "You turd! Stop trying to be suave!"

    mc "You gotta tell me."

    mina "You're suddenly putting me on the spot, like what do I- ah... let's..."

    mina "Let's go to a hotel."

    mc "That's on your list?"

    mina "Yeah... I want to see if it'll feel... {i}illicit{/i}... plus... "

    mina "......"

    mina "...we haven't even done {i}it{/i} yet."

    "Seeing her conscious of her surroundings made me want to bully her a little."

    mc "Done what...?"

    "I would have been mortified right there with her a few weeks ago."

    mina "I told you to stop trying to be cool."

    mc "Tell me."

    mina "Hnnn... waw-wahh-"

    mc "How can I help without you being explicit about it? What do you want to do today?"

    mina "......"

    mina "..."

    mc "We're the only people who matter."

    "I did wonder if her list included a public display like this."

    mina "........."

    mina "....."

    mina "...I want you to mess me up."

    mct "(--!)"

    mina "Let's just get a hotel and we can tick off a few of the minor items... okay...?"

    mc "I'm at your disposal."

    mina "Stop saying it like that!"

        play music "music/everything-you-wanted.ogg"

        "Did you cheat with Mina or make a move after they broke up?"

            "You cheated.":

            "You waited.":

    play sound "sound effects/car-beep.wav"

    "We made our way to the hotel. I was the one that picked the place, a rather upscale accommodation by my old standards."

        "I figured {i}what the hell.{/i} This would be our first time. Why not splurge?"

        "I figured {i}what the hell.{/i} Why not splurge? If she was hoping for something illicit, let her feel like an {i}expensive{/i} woman at least."

    "I was being paid generously for effectively nothing, after all."

    mct "(...I would do well to guard myself against becoming too indulgent.)"

        mina "......"

        mina "..."

        mc "......"

        mc "..."

        play sound "sound effects/elevator-bell.wav"

        "*Ding!*"

        mina "......"

        mina "..."

        mina "Huuh-"

        mc "*Whisper* So, how do you want me to mess you up?"

        mina "Tha--"

        play sound "sound effects/elevator-bell.wav"

        "*Ding!*"

    mc "Let's go."

    mina "We didn't have to get such an expensive room..."

    mc "I wanted to."

    mina "Seriously, it's not like we're staying the night."

    mc "We could if you want..."

    mc "I don't have much going on. Do you?"

    mina "Shut up! I don't have a change of clothes!"

    mc "Mmmh... so? Do we need clothes?"

    mc "Take 'em off so they won't get dirty."

    mina "Hnnngg..."

    mina "I don't have any of my morning treatments!"

    "Chwup~"

    mina "Ha, h-ha..."

    mc "This place has everything we need."

    mina "W-we'll see... a whole day and night is a bit..."

    mina "You'll treat me... {i}nice{/i}, right?"

        mc "How else would I possibly treat you?"

        mc "I'll treat you any way you ask me to, Mina."

    mina "You know, you'll be the second man I've been with... it's funny..."

    mc "What is?"

    mina "I'm just as nervous as if it was the first time... it's like something's pushing down on my chest..."

        mina "I know we've already messed around, but... we didn't..."

    mc "You don't have anything to be nervous about."

        mc "I have a feeling you're going to eat me alive."

        mina "This isn't just about me..."

        mina "I want us to both feel good."

        mc "You call the shots here."

        mina "This isn't just about me..."

        mina "I want to make some of your fantasies come true too."

    mct "(Ah... this woman!)"

    mina "Hmmm..."

    mina "{size=-10}Probably not complimentary...{/size}"

    mc "What did you say?"

    mina "Oooh, wow..."

    mc "What?"

    mina "Heck of a bed."

    mc "Think it'll do for our purposes?"

    mina "Uh huh... a lot of room ..."

    mina "We're here... so there's only one thing to do..."

    mc "There's no rush."

    mina "...?"

    mc "We have all the time in the world."

    mina "That's different from what you told the front desk."

    mc "I want to make the most of today."

    mina "......"

    mina "..."

    mc "I'll pour us a drink."

    mina "What do they have?"

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "By the way, what was in that bag?"

    mina "Oh, uh... {b}you'll see.{/b} Later."

    mc "How mysterious."

    mina "You won't have to wait long to find out."

    mc "Can't you just tell me now?"

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "Nope!"

    mc "Okay, keep your secrets."

    mina "It's funny. We've only hung out a few times..."

    mc "Let's not reminisce. I want to get to know you better, Mina."

    mina "Sure, but... what should we talk about?"

    mc "Hmmm..."

    "*Glug, glug, glug*"

    mc "How about... we ask each other some questions? "

    mc "Anything either of us would like to know, no matter how personal or embarrassing."

    mina "I could think of a few things I'd like to ask, but..."

    "......"

    "...."

    mina "Whaaaaaaaaat if you don't want to answer them?"

    mc "Only one way to find out: ask me something."

    mina "Anything? Even if it's weird and might kill the vibe?"

    mc "Okay, now I got to know. Hit me."

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "How many women have you slept with, [mcf]?"

    mc "That's what you want to know?"

    mina "You know my complete, pitiful history."

    mc "Fair enough, uh..."

    "This was easier to calculate before the club. Do I count the old woman tugging me off in her office when I first met Veronica?"

    "Do I tell her the number before it began being served to me on a silver platter?"

    mina "Ehehe... you have to think about it that long?"

    mc "Hey! I got three years on you. Of course I have to think about it!"

    mina "Reeeeeeallly?"

    mc "I'm offended that you seem so surprised, quite frankly."

    mina "It's not that! I just figured that was the kind of thing people kept track of!"

    mc "{i}Especially{/i} guys?"

    mina "Everyone!"

    mc "Hmmm..."

        "I'll go with the number I feel I pulled on my own merit, absent club business, but including Hana and Felicia."

        mc "I've been with five women."

        "I'll go with the number I feel I pulled on my own merit, absent club business, but including Felicia."

        mc "I've been with four women."

        "I'll go with the number I feel I pulled on my own merit, absent club business, but including Hana."

        mc "I've been with four women."

        "I'll go with the number I feel I pulled on my own merit, absent club business and before this Summer."

        mc "I've been with three women."

    mina "That's less than I expected..."

    mina "A-ah, I don't mean that in a bad way or anything!"

    mc "I know you didn't."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "I'm secure with that area of my life."

    mina "Ha! I'm not!"

    "......"

    mina "I've got a lot of things to learn... and probably unlearn too."

    mc "Can I ask you something now?"

    mina "Ask away! I owe you something personal or embarrassing~"

    mc "Whose idea was it to grab a bottle of vermouth and drink it straight?"

    mina "You said the goal was to loosen up, not get blasted."

    mc "Oh, yeah..."

    mina "Heh, feeling loose yet, [mcf]?"

    mc "I've been entirely at ease since we walked into the hotel."

    mina "You're not nervous? Not even... a {i}little{/i} bit?"

    "The worried look on her face told me she'd like me to be - and a few weeks ago, I might've been, but it's not like I could tell her that."

        mc "I did mention that you had a soothing effect on me."

    mc "How could I be stuck in my head when what's outside of it has my full attention?"

    mina "Ah... aha... you don't have to try so hard. We've already paid for the room..."

    mc "{b}Come here.{/b}"

    mina "Why? What do you want?"

    mc "Just come here. Please?"

    mina "Heh, sure..."

    mina "What are you thi--"

    mc "Do I seem nervous to you?"

    mina "Guess not..."

    mc "Do you think I'm bullshitting you when I say you're so beautiful that you occupy every thought in my head right now?"

    mina "......"

    mina "..."

    play music "music/ob1.ogg"

    mc "I'm not even sweating how cheesy that line was."

    mina "Ha! Ah... it's getting stuffy..."

    mc "May I?"

    mina "Uhhuh..."

    mc "You look good in black."

    mina "Thanks..."

    mc "Is this better?"

    mina "There's still one button to go..."

    mc "By the way, are you still feeling nervous?"

    mina "No... NERVOUS is not what I'm feeling..."

    mc "We're on the same page, then."

    mina "We're not QUITE even-Steven..."

    "Mina tugged cutely at my shirt, making her request known before she even said it."

    mina "Lift your arms."

    "I did as she asked, of course."

    mina "There we go..."

    "In a lovely reversal, her eyes focused on MY chest for once, mapping out its broadness and following down, down, and down beyond the reaches of my stomach."

    mina "........."

    mina "......"

    mina "...what were we talking about again?"

        mc "How did your day go after I left yesterday? You told me you were going to see Felicia?"

        mc "I was about to ask you how your weekend went."

        mina "It was alright... after ending things with--"

        mc "You can skip that part."

        mina "Ehehe, I hung out with Felicia yesterday. That was nice."

    mina "We went shopping! Then I went back to her place and we spent all afternoon together and into this morning."

    mc "You slept over? Was Elias there?"

    mina "Nope! It was just me, Felish, the bounty from our retail therapy, and one big and empty penthouse."

    mc "Sounds like it was fun."

    mina "It was a lot of wine and bad TV..."

    mina "Bless her heart, she doesn't like either of those things."

    mc "She clearly likes you."

    mina "Ehehe~ doesn't she?"

    "Sitting chest to chest like this, so close to Mina's radiant smile, there was an inevitable pull."

        "I wanted to kiss her as I had earlier."

        "I wanted to reach out and grab her."

    "I wanted to--"

    mina "Oh! And speeeeeeeaking of wine..."

    "Mina reached back, jutting her chest out and securely grasping the nearby wine glass."

    mina "I left mine aaaaaall the way over there. Hehe, can we...?"

    mc "{b}We{/b} can share."

    mina "Ehehe~"

    "Without care, she threw her head back, sending flaxen ribbons of hair flittering and exposing the curve of her neck."

    "She knew what she was doing. Her nervous energy had been harnessed, redirected, and put toward a purpose."

    "Her eyes fell on me, and the way her lips languidly parted from the glass' rim was as loud as any spoken word."

    mina "Mmmhh..."

    "The way she danced between demureness and provocation was natural. Unforced."

    mina "[mcf]..."

    "As if by instinct alone, she was going for blood."

    mina "I kinda just want to squeeze you right now, [mcf]. This is... {b}easy{/b} company. You're very disarming."

    mina "I mean, I followed you here and crawled right into your lap like some sort of floozy."

        mina "We only just kissed and HERE I am..."

        mc "At the very least, we're both floozies..."

        mina "Faaaaaair."

        mc "Does looking at it that way excite you?"

        mina "{b}Yeeeeep...{/b} heh."

    mina "Should guys always be the ones to make a move?"

    mc "Not at all. That's fucking stupid."

    mina "Good..."

    "Mina and I effortlessly fell into a kiss."

    mina "Hmmmwh~"

    "Soft, not {i}too{/i} aggressive, but an ample declaration nonetheless."

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "What are you thinking about right now?"

    mc "......."

    mc "..."

    mina "H-haa... Hello!"

    "I didn't play shy. I grabbed her, {b}like a lover.{/b}"

    mina "I'm glad I didn't have to spell it out..."

        "Be straight with her.":

            mc "I told you: I'm not thinking a thing. It's all you up here."

            mina "You're consistent with your sweet talk, I'll give you that."

        "Make a joke.":

            mc "You're the most gropeable thing in this room."

            mina "Heheh, weeeell... you're in the top two."

        "Talk dirty.":

            mc "I'm thinking in 20 minutes, you'll be saying my name and panting like a bitch."

            mina "......"

            mina "...you starting the timer?"

    "Once more, silken floss-like tresses swung arrestingly as the glass' remaining contents poured into Mina's mouth."

    "I watched her throat, eagerly awaiting her to swallow and make due on a look that told me she had something to share with me."

    "......"

    "..."

    "What she had to share, it turns out, wasn't words. Once more, she made her move, bringing her lips to mine."

    "This time the kiss wasn't soft. I knew what she intended, and I met her halfway, parting my lips in tandem with hers and accepting the herbaceous and bitter elixir as best I could."

    mc "Mmhh-"

    "We shared the wine, keeping our lips sealed so as not to spill while our tongues entangled violently and worked against that endeavor."

    mina "Euuhwwh~ *gulp*"

    "Eventually, the wine disappeared down our throats, leaving nothing in between us except our lust."

    mina "Ha, heheeh... haaa..."

    "Notes of vanilla carried on hot breath reached my nostrils as we parted and stared hazily into each other's eyes, waiting for either's initiative."

    mina "...saw that in a movie one time."

    mc "That was a complicated maneuver."

    mina "I know, right? Did I surprise you?"

    "Mina was {b}full{/b} of surprises. That was for sure."

    mc "Yeah, you were pretty cool just now."

    mina "Hehehehehe~ You better believe it."

    "......"

    "..."

        mina "There is A LOT I want to try with you..."

        mina "We're going to have A LOT of fun together..."

    mina "It's time to show you what's in that bag."

    mc "I don't think I care what's in the bag anymore..."

    mina "You will... you'll like it... I have {b}ample{/b} confidence in that."

    "So Mina darted to the bathroom, leaving me painfully bereft of a cute blonde in my lap."

    "In the meantime, I poured myself another glass of wine and waited..."

    mina "Okay, I'm ready! Close your eyes!"

    "I didn't have to wait long."

    mc "Come on, I... {i}alright{/i}."

    mc "They're closed. Promise."

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "Umm... you can open them..."

    "I thought she sounded so cute right now, but when I opened my eyes..."

    mc "Wh- ah, {b}holy shit...{/b}"

    "When I opened my eyes, there stood a man-killer, presenting herself with the complete confidence of a model."

    mina "Judging by your reaction, I don't need to ask what you think..."

    mc "You just had THAT in your car?"

    mina "Something I picked up during my shopping trip yesterday..."

        mina "I was planning on returning it later, but..."

        mc "Well, God bless my timing..."

        mina "I was hoping it might see some use today."

        mc "Hope is a beautiful thing..."

        "Ask her to turn around.":

            mc "Can I see it from behind?"

            mina "..."

            "She did as I asked, sticking her butt out with just the right amount of unnatural to make me want to immediately leap out of my seat."

            mc "Did Felicia help you pick that out?"

            mina "She had a hand in it."

            "I made a mental note to thank that wonderful slut."

            mina "She did suggest I try a more traditional color like red or black, but..."

            mc "You'd look good in both those colors, but no... this {i}suits{/i} you."

            mina "I wear stuff like this for work, but it feels different when there's no camera."

            "I knew the feeling... I've seen a lot of beautiful women in expensive clothing recently, but the intimacy and privacy of a hotel room had it feeling a whole lot different."

            mina "Now, shall we pick back up where we left off?"

        "Fuck waiting. Beckon over the little minx.":

            mc "What the hell are you still doing over there? Get over here."

            mina "..."

            "She closed the gap with a purposeful slowness that had me on the edge of my seat."

            mina "Want a touch?"

            "Goddamn... what a piece of expensive lingerie does to an already impeccable body..."

            "{i}Yeah, I wanted to touch.{/i}"

            mina "O-ohh!"

            mc "Christ, you're fucking- ah... you don't mind me being...?"

            mina "Oh, ah... I don't mind. I like it."

                mina "Why else would I put this on if not for this kind of reactio--?"

                mina "You had the same look in your eyes as when we first... ah..."

            mina "Mmmhh..."

            mina "Shall we pick back up where we left off?"

    mc "I will have to work hard to live up to how you're making me feel..."

    mina "........."

    mina "......"

    mina "..."

        mina "...you can do anything you want with me, [mcf]."

        mc "Anything?"

        mina "Like I said, I'm putting my trust in you, okay?"

        mc "Mina..."

        mina "Can I ask you something weird? Do you have any {i}fantasies{/i}?"

        mc "Everyone does I would think..."

        mina "A lot of them?"

        mc "I've never counted... and I don't really know what's an abnormal amount..."

        mina "Weeeeell... I've got an abnormal amount of them. {b}Tons{/b}."

        mina "Maybe even a disgusting amount..."

        mc "I don't think fantasies are anything to fret over. What makes them disgusting?"

        mina "Nothing, I guess... except... ah..."

        mina "Would you share one of yours with me?"

        "It's funny. This was an area I've given little thought to, even though, in theory, the club could make any of my imaginations a reality..."

        mc "...huh, are {i}you{/i} gonna make my fantasies come true?"

        mina "Hehe, I don't know... maybe? I {b}cooooould...{/b}"

        "The problem with being truthful was that telling her I'd like to fuck her in the ass while shoving her pretty face in a toilet wasn't keeping with the current mood..."

        "Probably wouldn't ever BE the mood, but I got the impression right now that she thought she was genuinely curious and open to my tastes."

        mc "Why don't we just go with the flow? No need to complicate it."

        mina "True, it's just... I'm curious about what other people like.  I don't have many points of comparison., y'know?"

        mc "Got any requests?"

        mina "{b}Tons{/b}... but today, how about you... {i}just do anything you want?{/i}?"

        mc "Anything? What about your list?"

        mina "This is our first {b}real{/b} time; let's avoid getting bogged down with details..."

        mina "If anything, I want to get a taste of who {b}you{/b} are."

        mc "Who am I?"

        mct "(I'm someone who wants to fuck the shit out of you right now...)"

        mina "You know, what kind of stuff do you like? What would you like to... {i}do{/i}?"

        mc "I don't want for much right now."

        mina "But... you have fantasies like I do, right? Things you might want to try? Helping me with my junk..."

        mina "I was thinking, {i}this{/i} doesn't have to be so one-sided."

        mc "Sure, everyone's got fantasies, but... I try not to dwell on them too much."

        mina "I've told you some of mine..."

        "The problem with being truthful was that telling her I'd like to fuck her in the ass while shoving her pretty face in a toilet wasn't the current mood..."

        "Probably wouldn't ever BE the mood, but I got the impression right now that she might truly meet me halfway if I only asked."

        mina "I'd at least like to hear about some of them... you know how much of a freak I am, and... I don't have many points of comparison, y'know?"

    "Playing out my desires with the club was one thing, but having someone my age... happy and open.... it was a {b}tempting{/b} fantasy that was better saved for future consideration."

    mct "(What is something relatively benign I could share with her that wouldn't make things overly weird...?)"

    "I mean, I could come up with a lie, but the earnest expression on her face MADE me want to be truthful. "

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Let's put a pin in that thought for now."

    "I HAD what I thought to be an answer to her question, but the explanation was best worked up to."

    mc "Instead..."

    "Plus, eating Mina up {i}too{/i} fast would be a shame. Some meals are best savored."

    mc "Come over here, sweetheart."

    "I directed Mina to the table and had her sit as if putting her on display."

    "We momentarily shared an exploratory look as I considered what part of her I wanted to taste first."

    mina "[mcf]...? Could you...?"

    "It seemed Mina's mind had gone through a similar process."

    mina "Could you take off your pants... I want to..."

        mina "I want to see it..."

        mina "I want to see it again..."

    "Now, it was my time to be put on display and gawked at."

    mc "Should I do it slowly?"

    "No matter... they had to come off at some point."

    mina "J-just... take your {i}dick{/i} out."

    "There was a deliberate emphasis that she knew fully well betrayed her girlishly coy cadence."

    mc "As you wish."

    "In no time, [mcf] had disappeared from her view. I no longer existed."

    mina "......"

    mina "..."

    "She wasn't looking at me so much as what stood proudly at half-mast."

        mina "It can get bigger, right? Could you... I mean, I want to see..."

        mina "I know it's bigger than that... Could you... I mean, I want to see..."

    mina "{b}Stroke it for me.{/b}"

    "Again, she oscillated between shyly choosing her words and a more forceful command. I didn't know if she intended for the contrast to turn me on or if she was simply feeling out her own feelings, but the former was the end result."

    mc "What? You like watching men jerk off?"

    mina "Y-yeah, it's... {b}hot{/b}."

        mc "Is this one of those fantasies you mentioned?"

        mc "Is this one of your things?"

    "She just nodded, too transfixed on my cock to say more than she had to."

    mina "Mmmhh... actually, more fetish than fantasy?"

    mc "What do you like about it?"

    mina "*Gulp* It's just so... {i}animalistic?{/i}"

    mina "You're going to be a doctor one day, [mcf]. You'll help people, but right now, you have a look in your eye that's so far removed from decent. I {b}love{/b} it..."

    mc "Mina, like... {b}damn{/b}."

    mina "Ahhhh, I'm w-weird, aren't I?"

    mc "You're not weird; all sex is weird... you just know what you like."

    "How she could articulate the underpinning of her desires surprised and impressed me."

    mc "The world would be better if everyone could be honest with themselves and find a healthy outlet."

    mina "Uyyhh... mmmhuh..."

    "It seems I had lost her to whatever deliberations were happening inside her head."

    mina "When did you-"

    "Poor Mina was so caught up on me jacking off that she didn't even register me inching closer. The spell was only broken when my hand left my cock."

    mc "You were REALLY into that..."

    mina "Hnnngg... don't-"

    mc "And why not? From where I stood, the look in your eyes was equally as fuck hungry as the one you saw in mine."

    mc "Don't be embarrassed about what you like."

    mina "Share with me one of your fantasies and maybe I won't be..."

    mc "It's that important to you, huh?"

    mina "Absolutely! What's more intimate than knowing what the other person gets off to?"

    mc "Don't worry. I'm not avoiding your question."

    mina "O-ohh..."

    mc "I have a {b}show and tell{/b} in mind. But first..."

    mina "{b}O-ooooooh!{/b}"

    "I mean, {i}how could I {b}fucking{/b} not?{/i} The pull of the fabric made Mina's already beautiful chest even more delectable. "

        mc "Let's discover just how sensitive you are here."

        mc "Let's make you sing."

    "My hands possessed a will of their own, gripping the underside of the blonde's bust, teasing and massaging the mounds to create an eye-pleasing feast."

    mina "Hnn- ahh... aren't we past this?"

    mc "What do you mean?"

    mina "You c-can just put it in if you want... y-you're so hard, it's painful for a guy to hold back, right?"

    "I stopped myself short of asking who told her that. Maybe that was something invented in her own head, but more realistically, I could see that being a line Ian fed her."

    mc "Painful, no. This is one of my {b}favorite{/b} parts."

    mct "(God, the sight of these things!)"

    mc "It's like when you slowly crawl to the top of a roller coaster, and you get that funny feeling in the pit of your stomach."

    mina "Hhh- i-is it?"

    mc "It is. The climb, the anticipation, is just as important as the fall."

    mina "Roller coasters are scary..."

    mc "Maybe, but... the ride to the top gives you time to think. Lets you come to terms with the inevitable."

    mc "In this case, that being... you're gonna get {b}fucked{/b}, Mina. So, go ahead and think about that for a bit."

    mct "(Aha!)"

    mina "Eeeh, eeh?"

    "That taste I was looking for before I got sidetracked."

    "Mina's nipples struck a wonderful balance between puffy and hard, the perfect morsel to latch onto and gratify my own personal fixation."

    mina "Ah, wwhh--"

        "Something in me compelled me to {i}devour{/i} these things."

        "I felt just as compelled to devour these things as if it was my first time sucking on these beauties."

    mina "S-sooo... ahhh..."

    "On the ride to the top, a thought occurred to me."

    mina "Alright... ha... t-thinking about it..."

    "Mina was like a canvas, and I felt the tremendous weight of knowing I would add my own touch to this painting."

    mina "Hnng- wwhhha, do whatever you want..."

    "Would I paint over some of what Ian added? Who knew, but it might be fun to try."

    mina "I-if you like my breasts that much, h-have your f-fill..."

    "Would the things I add be for better or worse? Beats the fuck out of me."

    mina "I'll learn all about y-you while you d-do-"

    "Would a little of her rub off onto me?"

    mina "E-eehh?"

    "I hoped so."

    mina "Oh, hhhnn-"

    "My exploratory taste confirmed what I already suspected to be the case: Mina was sufficiently tuned up and waiting for a cock."

    mina "Hyyeee- [mcf]!"

        "I pried Mina apart with my tongue and explored her insides. This would serve as a nice appetizer."

        "I didn't plan on a repeat of the other day. This was just an appetizer."

    mina "G-give me a warning before you, o-ohhh-"

    "As I shot up and angled my penis toward her opening..."

    mina "Oohwwooh- ahh.. hweh..."

    "...Mina's words stuck in her throat, waiting for the shoe to drop."

    mina "......."

    mina "..."

    mina "*Gulp* W-what are you doing?"

    "Hovering this close, there was a very tempting prospect to simply put it in, but I couldn't fight my sadistic streak."

    "Let's hold out, just a little while longer..."

        "Tease her silently.":

            "Why use words when you can say a lot more with action?"

            mina "Euug-!"

            "As the bottom of my shaft came in contact with her sweet parts, the breath Mina held in abruptly escaped her throat."

            mina "Hnngg... ehhh... "

            "The tip of my cock agonizingly poked through the cleft of her sex, prying apart and teasing Mina's sex."

            mina "You're still on this t-teasing thing, huh?"

            "{i}This{/i} approach was a double-edged sword."

            "Every time the underside of my shaft would meander over her precipice, a warmness spread down my length and all the way to my nuts."

            "Every time my head bumbled into her ridges, a violent, tingling feeling shot up my body."

            "Still, standing over her like this, I could drink in every bit of her frustrated expression. I could bask in the foreknowledge of how tight she would be once we finally joined."

            mina "Or... eheh... d-do you not know how to do it?"

            "I wondered... what would her face look like when I entered her for the first time?"

            "Would it be on me? Would she carefully observe where we were connected?"

            mina "Hnnngg... ggahh... c'mon [mcf]..."

            "What would her expression be like? How much of me would she take before that pretty face of hers went askew?"

            "How deep would my cock need to rend all thoughts from her head? How fast to go before her eyes rolled back in her head?"

            mina "Stop being meeeeean... ah, pleeeease?"

            "The future was full of lewd possibilities."

            "I nodded, signaling to her what was to come."

            "Mina smiled back, signaling to me that she was ready."

        "Get vulgar with it.":

            mc "You want it?"

            mina "Euug-!"

            "As the bottom of my shaft came in contact with her sweet parts, the breath Mina held in abruptly escaped her throat."

            mina "Hnngg... ehhh... I'm r-ready... ah..."

            "The tip of my cock agonizingly poked through the cleft of her sex."

            mc "Your little pussy is going to be a tight fit for my cock."

            mina "A-ahh..."

            mc "You think you can handle it?"

            mina "I m-mean, ha..."

            play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

            "*Fwap!"

            mina "O-ohh-!"

            mina "Hnnng... that's what it does... it's made to take.. a-ah~"

            mc "{b}What{/b} is it made to take?"

            mina "C-c'mon, [mcf]..."

            mc "What is your pussy made for, Mina?"

            mina "Ah... euuug..."

            "She looked at me with a complete understanding of what I was getting at."

            mina "It's made to take {i}cock{/i}."

            "Mina didn't dance around it quite as much as I had hoped."

            mc "I'm going to put it in now."

            mina "Alright, but... b-be gentle, okay?"

            "She asked with such a cute look..."

            mina "Your thing is {i}huuuuuuuuge{/i}. Do it slowly, at least at first..."

            "She said, perhaps purposefully inflating my ego for her cause."

            mc "Ready?"

            mina "R-ready..."

    "......."

    "..."

    mina "Hh-"

    "Slowly, I slid the head of my penis into Mina's welcoming embrace."

    mina "Hh-hat...!"

    "I held myself in place, my eyes never leaving hers, letting her know I was intently aware of what she was feeling."

    mina "Deeper..."

    "Deeper I went, one-third of the way down my shaft."

    mina "It's t-thick..."

    "I stopped once more, holding for a second, enjoying the warmness of Mina's insides clinging sweetly to my shaft."

    mina "You're pulling me apart, [mcf]..."

    mina "Achk, h-hard... You're so...!"

    "Halfway."

    mina "..."

    "Mina kept her eyes glued to me, the longing expression on her face never wavering. A look that she was very intentionally making known."

    "{i}She was reassuring me that she wanted me.{/i}"

    mina "{b}Deeper{/b}."

    play music "music/crazy.ogg"

    mc "--!"

    "One final push, with more strength than I intended, emboldened by Mina's impassioned demand."

    mina "Mmhh, aaaaaaahh-♥♥♥♥♥"

    mina "Y-you're in! F-finally...! Aaaah- {i}FUCK!{/i} Ha...!"

    "Instead of reeling back, Mina clung to me, keeping me buried at the base."

    "An intense wave of pleasure washed over me and things quickly became hazy."

    mina "You're in... all of you... ha... s-so much of you... ah..."

    "Mina felt so good, her body was so soft, she smiled so lovelily..."

    mina "D-don't move yet, okay...?"

    "With the way she held me, I could feel her heartbeat."

    mina "Haa..."

    "I wanted to move, but at the same time, being joined like this... chest-to-chest... {b}felt so secure.{/b}"

    "Even in a situation like this, she had an uncanny knack for putting others at ease."

    "Gently I laid her down on the table's surface, withdrawing a little and giving her a moment to adjust to my size."

    "......"

    "..."

    "After a moment, she gave me a nod and..."

    "So it began, with me gently pushing into Mina's constraining depths."

    mina "Haa..."

    "Mina was no virgin, but there was a tempo to these things."

    mc "You alright?"

    mina "Y-yeeahh... you're... {b}heh...{/b}"

    "Pulling out from her grip took effort."

    mina "My heart jumped into my throat when you went all the way in..."

    "Pushing back into her hold took strength."

    mina "You're so big, hard, and thick...! God...!"

    "The table-fucked blonde's hold on me was incredible."

    mina "Y-yeah, I'm alright..."

    "Thankfully, Mina had a good sense of rhythm. She matched my pace and timing, joining with me at the height of every thrust."

    mina "I'm glad I'm doing this with {i}you{/i}, [mcf]."

    mina "Even now, you're being patient... ahh..."

    "Mina's usual exuberance carried on even here, with a tremendously playful smile plastered on her face."

    mc "It's just... you're so damn tight... ha, if I moved any faster than this, I would explode."

    mina "Ehh... ha... Hehe... why do people ever do anything but {b}fuck{/b}?"

    "Her smile gave me a sense of overwhelming {i}togetherness{/i}, but it was also something I'd like to see messed up."

    mc "You're something else, you know that?"

    "It would be lovely to see that smile unfurl in pleasure."

    mct "(But, I guess you could say the same about me.)"

    mina "Hehe~"

    "....."

    "..."

    "Our chatter abated, and the conversation continued with our eyes."

    "She gifted me her rapt attention, expression brimming with eagerness and hunger."

    "Through a hazy stare, she told me she wanted more."

    "Her lips parted but carried no words - only breathy affirmations that conveyed to me {i}don't stop{/i}."

    "Every time I pushed {i}deep{/i} into her, there was a flicker of satisfaction that would fast die on the way back out."

    "It was a small drama, one that played out over and over in time with our rhythm, but each performance was as fresh as the last."

    "Each rendition of Mina's sultry expression aggravated my desire."

    "Each dive into Mina's lust-filled eyes propelled my hips forward with growing emotion. "

    "Every apsect of Mina's visage carried a mandate to leave her well and truly fucked."

    mc "Hnn, M-mina...! So, you wanted to hear a fantasy of mine?"

    mina "Of c-course! Tell me! Let's do it!"

    mc "You haven't heard it yet!"

    mina "I don't care! Let's do whatever it is!"

    mc "You're out of your mind!"

    mina "M-maybe... I want to make this special for you, [mcf]!"

    "......"

    "..."

    "Mina, with the city as her backdrop, was like a dream."

    mc "The window!"

    mina "The window...? What about it?"

    mc "Doesn't it appeal to you?"

    mina "......"

    mina "..."

    mina "We have a good view of the city from here, don't we?"

    mc "Thirty-four floors, to be precise. I see you're thinking what I'm thinking."

    mina "Kiiiiinda?"

        "It was a simple and innocuous choice, one fitting for the moment."

        "If she was honest about wanting to explore our fantasies together, I wanted to start with a simple and safe one."

    mina "A-aahh...! C-cold~!"

    "I pressed Mina hard against the window pane to make my point."

    mc "You know, I've lived my whole life and never really been that far from another person. I've never had a mile between me and any other human before."

    mc "Kinda fucking crazy when you really think about it..."

    "Mina's response to that was to wiggle her ass. A {i}polite{/i} way of telling someone to get back to work if I've ever experienced one."

    mina "Hhha-"

    mc "You ever look up and imagine all the little dramas playing out in the buildings around you?"

    "Slowly, I picked up back where we left off, looking to set the scene."

    mc "Joyous celebrations, babies being born, dreams being fulfilled..."

    mina "Hnnng... Ah, the angle you're pushh- w-woah..."

    mc "Spouses fighting, lovers quarreling, people having the worst days of their lives..."

    mina "Ha- You c-can go faster if you want!"

    "I ignored her request."

    mc "You ever look up and imagine all that?"

    mina "H-haaat- Hnng, mmmh- F-faster!"

    mc "I do. There's so much happening all around us that it can be suffocating to think about."

    "I ignored her request a second time."

    mc "The city's teeming with life, but you tend to forget that once you're locked away behind some walls with some soundproofing."

    mina "Fhh, [mcf] faster!"

    mc "Isn't it hot sitting up high, peering down on all those meaningful moments?"

    mina "Hha, hhhaa I g-guess? The city looks nice from up here..."

    mc "Doesn't it turn you on to think about the people going about their daily lives as you tower above them, a dick buried in your twat?"

    mina "Mmmh, when you put it t-that way..."

    mc "None of that matters. None of {i}them{/o} matter."

    mina "Ha, hhh-"

    mc "There's just the sensation of being {b}above{/b} it all, getting fucked. Isn't it kind of a thrill?"

    mina "Y-yeeah! It feels gooood!"

    mc "It does for me too. It turns me on to imagine I'm lording above all that shit, balls deep in a woman of their fantasies."

    mina "Huuah, hhaaa...! W-w-heh?"

        "Pick up the speed.":

            mc "God, I'm the luckiest man alive right now!"

            "To signify my feelings, I rolled my hips forward, driving my cock harder and faster into Mina's cunt."

            mina "Hwwwahh-"

            "The harder I pounded, the more she was fucked complacently into the window."

            mina "Gyyah... euhhh-- You're going so-"

            "Fast."

            mina "Yhhwe- Hwwwuu-"

            "Fast and deep."

            mc "This good?"

            mina "Shh, y-yeah... It f-feels g-good! Like r-really, {b}really{/b} g-good!"

            "Mina used her upper body to push back, but I had almost all the leverage from this position."

            mc "Take a look at the city, take a look at the streets... take a look at all the people...!"

            "I could lay into her pussy to my heart's content, taking in the lovely curve of Mina's back while basking in the view of the city."

            mc "They got no fucking idea we're screwing right above their heads."

            mina "Uunnggh- haa-!"

            mc "They got no idea I'm screwing the most beautiful woman they've never seen!"

            mina "Ahh, haa..? Ehehe... You weirdo!"

            "Mina laughed, taking this relatively innocent fantasy in good stride."

        "\"Say my name, bitch.\"":

            mc "It turns me on to imagine my name literally screamed into the high heavens!"

            mina "Yeeuuuah...?!"

            mc "Say my name!"

            "To further make my point, I slammed my cock harder and faster into Mina's cunt."

            mina "Hnnn, yyeee- [mcf]!"

            "Each smack of her ass was well-received, Mina's bubble butt providing the perfect target."

            mc "Say my name, {b}bitch!{/b}"

            mina "Gyehh, [mcf]!"

            "Each smack yielded an eye-pleasurable jiggle that caused Mina's pussy to strangle my dick even harder."

            mc "Good girl!"

            mina "Eh, yyeeah, aaah... [mcf]."

            mc "Good Mina!"

            mina "Ehehe~"

            "She giggled, none too disturbed by my sudden shift in attitude."

            mina "Ah, heee- [mcf]!"

            "In fact, she sounded like she found this direction to be genuinely endearing."

    mina "Ah, hhaa... maybe we should try this on a rooftop sometime?! Wouldn't that be wild?"

        mc "Is that on your list?"

        mina "N-nope! C-could be on {i}yours{/i} though!"

        mc "Hnngg, hauuch... no thanks! I'm afraid of heights!"

        mc "N-no thanks... I'm afraid of heights!"

    mina "Pffh, w-what? Hah-"

    mina "Yeeaahhuuuhh- Ah, c-craaap-"

    "Mina's joy was so pervasive that I found myself smiling too."

    mina "Ah, you're hitting me in {i}all{/i} the r-right spots!"

    "Fucking her was unlike any other experience. It felt edifying and {i}wholesome{/i} of all things."

        mina "[mcf], [mcf], [mcf], [mcf], [mcf]!"

        "Even being pounded into the glass, she shined brilliantly..."

        mc "You slut!"

        mina "Hehe, you really think you're l-lucky?"

        "Even being pounded into the glass, she shined brilliantly..."

        mc "Let me prove it to you!"

    "I poured my focus into giving Mina my {b}all{/b}."

    mina "Fuh, hhaa- [mcf]!"

    "By now, I had a pretty good idea of what angle of attack she found most gratifying."

    mina "Yyeh, haa... r-right there! Right there, you fhhweeuh-"

    "My cockhead dug into the outer wall of her vagina, following the bend of her pelvis, scrapping and gouging all the way."

    mc "Take it!"

    "I felt confident I could make her cum first."

        mc "Take it all, you bitch!"

        mc "Take it all!"

    "I wasn't anywhere near my limit and my recent experiences had given me plenty confidence in my stamina."

    mina "Y-yeahh, eeugh... g-give it to me-"

    "Sensing the change in focus, Mina did her best with what little leverage she could muster to pleasure me back."

    mina "Gnngh, hnnng-! G-give it all to me!"

    "That window of good humor had closed in favor of a concentrated feeling of lust."

    "Her giggles and sweet-natured cooing were now loud, vulgar grunts."

    mina "Guah, hhuugnhh, hnnn-! Give it to me, Daddy!"

    mct "(...ha, Daddy?)"

        mct "(There it was again. Just like the first time we fooled around.)"

        mct "(...did Ian teach her that or is that all her, I wonder?)"

    mina "Ye, hha, fwhh- hehe~ fwuhh-"

    "I could tell from her body language she was getting close."

    mina "Gyhh, y-ye- ah, eeh?"

    "The way she babbled, the way her legs buckled, the way her hands fruitlessly tried to find a more secure hold on the glass."

    mina "Gyee, aaahhh.. eeeuugghh-"

    "Yeah, she was getting {i}damn{/i} close. Very--"

    mina "Sh, wwwyyyaaaeehhhhhhh-♥♥♥♥"

    "Suddenly, her body went taut. Every muscle, including the one wrapped around my dick, froze up."

    mina "Ueehhhh, aaahh- hhhnnn-♥♥♥♥"

    "She cried... {i}howled{/i} in a beautifully filthy way as my momentum ground to a stop in opposition to Mina's unwavering tightness."

    mc "Gah, hhnn-!"

    mina "Ah, wwooahh.. s-shit.. d-dang... ahahaha... oh, w-wow... heh.."

    "Mina was ego-inducingly scatterbrained. Moments passed before... "

    mina "Haa... mmmh... why have you stopped? You still haven't cummed... hehh..."

        mc "Slow and steady..."

        mina "Mmmhhh....?"

        mc "I paid a lot of money for this room. We're going to use it."

        mc "My goal isn't cumming, remember?"

        mina "Mmmhhh....?"

        mc "You asked me to mess you up and there's still a lot to go."

    mina "O-oh..."

    mc "C'mon, let's try out the bed."

    "I still had a lot of gas in the tank, but even if I didn't..."

    play music "music/rockville.ogg"

    "The way Mina's doe-like eyes teemed with desire was reason enough for me not to speed toward an orgasm."

    mc "Mina..."

    mina "Hehehe~"

    "In anticipation, she purred like a kitten."

    mina "Mmmmm~"

    "Adding a touch of sensuality to the moment, Mina's tiny mouth ensnared my thumb, sucking on it desirously."

    mc "Mina, Mina, Mina..."

    "I briefly considered giving her something {b}else{/b} to suck on, but my taste of Mina's lower mouth had been all too brief."

        "Wordlessly take her.":

            "She watched me so attentively, so intently, that there was no need to explain what I wanted."

            mina "........."

            mina "......"

            mina "..."

            "She understood that I wanted to see her this time."

            "To be face-to-face."

            "She smiled and began to spread her legs. Inching them apart until..."

            mina "Come on, [mcf]..."

            "I didn't need a better invitation."

            mina "Gyeh- ahh.. just right into-"

            "--!"

            mina "Ww-wahha-"

        "You're her daddy.":

            play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

            "--!"

            mc "{b}Mina{/b}."

            mina "Ah- ah... [mcf]..."

            mc "Are you gonna be a slut for Daddy?"

            mina "A-ah! Whaaa-"

            "If she had a predilection for this kind of play, might as well lean into it. Not like I wasn't into this shit, either."

            "In a deliberate effort, she kept eye contact with me, simply nodding and giving me approval at this direction."

            mc "That's my baby girl."

            "I guess this really was a kink of hers."

            mina "Gyeh- ahh.. just right into-"

            "--!"

            mina "Ww-wahha-"

            mc "We're past warming up!"

    "For the next leg of the evening, there was no need to build to tempo."

    mina "Ah, hhhnn-"

    "Mina's sex, while still nut-wrenchingly tight, had grown used to my size and shape."

    mc "Goddamn it, you feel amazing!"

    "Using her arms for leverage, I had no trouble slipping in and out of her at speed, carving out a long and deep path."

    mina "Euughh, hhhaak- {b}y-you t-toooo!{/b}"

    "Mina admirably did what she could to take an active part in our shared pleasure, using her legs to steady and guide my hips home, but I had the dominant position."

    "She could grind and writhe, but she had little recourse but to lie there, look up at me, and watch herself get fucked - all with an enamoring look on her face."

    mina "Whh, hhnn- Sex with y-you was such a GOOD idea! Hehehe, ha-"

    "--but it wasn't like I had much choice either. I may have had a physical hold on her, but my head was preoccupied with Mina."

        mc "You were BUILT for this, Mina."

        "What else could I do but spear her over and over and over again on my cock?"

        mc "Daddy's good little whore!"

        "What else could I do but marvel at Mina's perfect bust and its appetizingly engorged pink peaks?"

        mc "Daddy's perfect slut!"

        "No... I had little recourse of my own."

        mina "Whh, hhaa- D-daddy! Ahhh...♥♥♥"

        mc "Ha! You took the -hnn- words RIGHT out of my mouth."

        mc "We should make this a regular thing, y-you know?"

        "What else would I do but spear her over and over and over again on my cock?"

        mina "Hnnhh- w-whenyouever you want, [mcf]."

        "What else could I do but marvel at Mina's perfect bust and its appetizingly engorged pink peaks?"

        mina "I'm yours...  Ahh..."

        "No... I had little recourse of my own."

        mina "...you o-only have to ask~ Haaht, crapeeeuuguhh-"

    "Fuck and be fucked."

    "We had carved out, for only a painfully fleeting moment, a slice of meaning in this world."

    mina "Gehhuu, aahh-"

    "Meaning uncomplicated and lacking in nuance."

    "Meaning found in the most straightforward and essential human act."

    "Meaning at its most hedonistic and pure."

        mina "Ghhu, hffhhuh- fuck me, Daddy!"

        mina "Ghhu, hffhhuh- fuck me, [mcf]!!"

    "In this brief moment, sex with Mina was the most obvious thing in the world. A cure-all for the soul."

    mc "Don't worry! I'm -hnnn- giving it my b-best!"

    "Oh, how easy it was to forget the messy events that led to this."

    "Oh, how quickly this charade would be over."

    mina "Gyahh, hhaa, wwh"

    "No... I had to make this last, as long as I could."

    "I would carve this experience into Mina's body to leave her no doubt about coming back for me."

    mina "Hnn, hwwwah, hhaaa♥♥"

    "There it was! That familiar feeling."

    mina "Ghh, hhnn, wwah, ewwuuuuhh♥♥♥"

    "The tension..."

    mina "Wwoohhh, ghh, www-hhhhnnnnn♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥!"

    "The tension {b}broke.{/b}"

    mina "Ehhhuuuhhh-"

    "Mina found herself descending the peak for the second time this evening."

    "I wasn't nearly finished."

        mc "No time to rest, Babygirl."

        mc "No time to rest, beautiful."

    mina "Wha..? Whhhh-?!"

    mina "Gyy, hhhn- hhaaa-"

    "This time a well-fucked Mina was on top, but in her half-insensate state, she could only concede me the initiative."

    mina "Hnhh... n-no time out, aah-ah?"

    mc "Nope!"

    mina "Ehh.. ohh, h a- ohkkay-!"

    "She instinctually bucked and bounced, but it was up to me to do the lifting."

    mc "Haahh, thanks for being so understanding!"

    "Fortunately, Mina, contrary to all her bluster and immense personality, was a very light young lady."

    "Even in my fuck-focused state, prying Mina off my cock and dropping her back down was a trivial task."

    mina "Hheeh, hheeh- You're very persuasive! Ahh-"

    "An immensely FUN and trivial task."

    mina "Ahh, vvheeeery-♥♥"

    "One with an immensely gratifying angle... {i}not that she had any bad ones.{/i}"

    mina "Persuusshhive-"

    "I could just dumbly watch her go up and down, up and down to my utmost satisfaction."

        mc "If you say so, slut!"

        mc "Heh, if you say so!"

    "Up and down, sinking my fingertips into the pale flesh of her hefty mammaries."

    mina "Gyy, hhhn- hhhhn- Hwwwhh-!"

    "Up and down, focusing on {i}the sensations{/i} as her lower body tried to milk me for all my pleasurable worth."

    mct "(Ahh... ha... Christ-!)"

    "{b}Riiiight{/b}, I've been so preoccupied with Mina's reactions that I forgot I was getting it as good as I was giving."

    mc "Ah, hhhhaa-"

    "My own moans unconsciously escaped my lips as my mind shifted awareness to the tingly feeling traveling up my spine."

    mina "Hehe- ah, hh--- y-you're feeling-? H-ha, {b}I'm--{/b}!"

    "{i}How could I not{/i}, I thought to myself, but it was a thought better served through action rather than voice."

    mina "Eehhh, hhhnn-"

        mc "C'mon, shake it harder!"

        mina "Eeueuhhh- aaahh...! I a.. aaa--hhh-♥♥"

        mc "You can do it better than that!"

        mina "Waah, hhhnaa-♥♥♥ I'm c-close-!"

        "Once she starts, she just can't stop, huh?"

        mc "Shake it for Daddy, you bitch!"

        mina "I --aa, eeheeem- aahh..."

        mc "Come for me, Babygirl!"

        mc "C'mon... b-bounce! A-ah!"

        mina "Eeueuhhh- aaahh...! I a.. aaa--hhh-♥♥"

        mc "C-come on... you're aaahh... you- you feel amazing!!"

        mina "Waah, hhhnaa-♥♥♥ Hnggg, I-I'm close!"

        "Once she starts, she just can't stop, huh?"

        mc "Come on, do it, then!"

        mina "Wwwh, hhngg, wwaa--♥♥♥"

        mc "Come on... {i}come{/i} for me again-"

    mina "I'm..."

    mina "I'm, I'm..."

    mina "I'm, I'm, I'm-!"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 3, channel = "music")

    mina "Euuugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaghhhhhhhh-♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥"

    "A warmness spread across my stomach..."

    mina "Wh, haa, hhnn-"

    mina "Heeh, hhoo... oh... waahhh..."

    mina "Gaah, hehe, like... {b}fuck!{/b}"

    mina "H-hey, uhh... waah..."

    mina "{b}Finish... go ahead... ahh... I want you to finish while fucking me... c-cum insiiide mee....♥♥♥♥♥ Pleeeeeease♥♥♥♥♥"

    mina "I w-want to f-feel like I... ahhh..."

    mina "Make me feel-- aa-hhh... Just... {b}ruin me{/b}, [mcf]."

    mc "W-what...? Ahh... haa..."

    mina "Make me forget I'm even a person, o-okay? It's..."

        mina "...it's a fantasy of mine. {b}Destroy me.{/b}"

        mina "...c-consider it part of my list. {b}Destroy me.{/b}"

    mc "......"

    mc "...aaaaaah, shit. {b}You fucking got it!{/b}"

    mina "W-wahh, aaahhh...♥♥♥"

    mct "(How the fuck did I end up with the tame fantasy here?)"

        mc "Get the fucking ass up!"

        play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

        "*Slap!*"

        mina "W-wwah, hhhngngggg..."

        mc "Point it this way!"

        mina "W-wah, ehh...?"

        mc "Face down, ass up!"

    play ambient "sound effects/fap.wav"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "music")

    mc "F-fuuuuck!"

    "I lost it."

    mina "Guhh, hhhu, hee, hhhu-!"

    "I fucking lost it."

    mc "D-damn it, Mina... uggh... s-saying something like that"

    "It would be unfair to Mina's heartfelt and earnest request {i}not{/i} to fuck her like her only purpose was to wrench the semen from my fat and heavy balls."

    mc "In a voice like that, from a girl like you...?"

    "Did she have any idea what sort of power she wielded?"

    mina "Wwhh- hhhnn- wwwhhh-"

    "Did she know what sort of effect those words would have on a man?"

        mc "Hnng, y-you filthy, beautiful bitch!"

        mc "Hnng, goddamn it!"

    mc "Of course, I'll ruin you!"

    "My instincts had taken over."

    mina "Guu, hhhnn- wwahhh-♥♥"

    "Instincts prone to sloppy, violent, impact-stricken sex."

    mina "Wwhhu, wwhhaa- hhaahhh-♥♥♥"

    "With a tight grip on Mina's hips, I did everything in my power to destroy not just her, but the both of us."

    mina "Whhh, gghhhu, iihhhz, uuoohhh-♥♥♥♥"

    "Destroy."

    "Destroy. Destroy."

    mc "Ah, fhhuuuck! Haaaa!"

    "Right now, {b}MY{/b} only purpose was to plug, stuff, and pull at Mina's fuck-ready insides."

    "{i}Gouge, scrape, prod, rub, stroke, swab, scratch.{/i}"

    mina "Ghhn, hhhuaa.. wwhahahaa-♥♥♥♥♥"

    "Right now, Mina had more sense in her pussy than she did in her head."

    "Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy."

    "Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy."

    mina "Whh, chhok, hhwwhh.. chhhum-♥♥♥♥♥♥"

    "All I could do was fuck, and all she could do was moan like a cock-stuffed bitch drunk on dick."

    mina "Whh, hhaa..!!"

    "Luckily, her lower mouth did all the talking required, inviting me, swallowing, and {b}consuming{/b} completely."

    mc "You want me to... Aahh... fine!"

        "Destroy?":

            "...wait, it's not a question!"

        "Destroy!":

            mc "Take this, bitch!"

    mina "Gwwhhh... hnnggg... awww-!!!!"

    "As I brought my palm down on Mina's bouncing ass, the picture in my head was a wonderful dichotomy."

    mina "Ghhu, hhnngg, wwwahh- wwwhwhwhw-!!!!!"

    "On one side was the Mina I knew as warm, caring, bright, bubbly... a source of affection..."

    mina "GGhhh, hhwwaa, wwwahh, hhehhh-"

    "On the other was the bleating fucktoy beneath me, a Mina consumed by a hedonistic state of bliss."

    mc "Gahh, {b}fhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!{/b}"

    "Neither was wrong. Neither was ugly."

    "We were two people letting out our frustrations... sharing and living out a fantasy... getting temporarily lost..."

    "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck...!"

    mc "You w-wonderful...!"

    "Take it, take it, take it, take it, take it, take it...!"

    mc "You lovely...!"

    "Fuck, damn, fuck, damn, fuck, damn...!"

    "As I felt my dick {b}boil{/i} over, as all feeling left my body... I could see it all."

    "Mina and someone who {i}resembled{/i} me, teetering on the edge of the track, about to take that final plummet..."

    mc "Mina... ahh... y-you..!"

    "In the last moments, that doomed soul called out..."

        "\"I love you!\"":

            mc "Mina... I... I... {b}loooooooove you!{/b}"

        "\"Take it!\"":

                mc "Take it, slut!"

                mc "T-take it!"

    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

    mc "Gyyh- asahhhh-♥♥♥♥♥"

    "Without even thinking about it, I gave Mina what she wanted."

    play ambient "sound effects/gulp2.wav"

    mc "Gyy, hhnhn-"

    "I buried myself entirely in Mina's embrace, shooting everything I had been working toward into Mina's womb."

    mina "Eehhhh.... hhaa.. chhum, hmmmh, mmuhuhh...♥♥♥"

    "I had given her my all."

    mc "Ghh, hhhaaaa..."

    "In the best possible way, like a pus-engorged abscess split asunder by its own putrid contents, I felt an exquisite sense of relief."

    play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

    mc "Ughhh..."

    mc "W-aah, uhh... that was... hnnngg..."

    mina "W-woww... ahh..."

    play music "music/happy-clappy.ogg"

    mina "I am so fhhhhuuuooool.... hehe, {size=-10}mmmhhh...{/size}"

    "Even dissolved into one big pile of goop, Mina's voice hadn't lost its candor."

    mina "........."

    mina "......"

    mina "...hey, [mcf]?"

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    mc "Y-yeah...?"

    mina "I can't breathe."

    mc "Oh, I... yeeeeah, let me-"

    mina "{b}This{/b} is better~"

    mina "Aaaaah... {i}big spoon secured{/i}."

    "Mina simply held me for a little bit."

    "She spoke no words, but her affections were communicated all the same through touch."

    "How she clung to me filled me with an irrational peace of mind."

    "The way she ran her nose up and down my naked back made me feel, of all things, {b}present{/b} in the moment and acknowledged."

    mina "{size=-10}Hmmm, mmhhh...{/size}"

    "Even her sighs sounded like a lullaby to my ears and let me know that, on some level, she felt a measure of comfort from {i}my{/i} presence."

    mc "I'm empty in the best possible way."

    mina "Hehe~ It's a great feeling, isn't it?"

    mc "Mmmmhhmmm."

    "{i}To see and to be seen {b}was{/b} a wonderful feeling indeed.{/i}"

    mina "Ha! Then again, I'm not {i}soooooo{/i} empty~"

    mina "I can feel it leaking out of me! I should probably get wash--"

    mc "{b}No{/b}. Don't get up."

    mina "The sheets are going to get dirty. You wanna lie in your own filth?"

    mc "Who cares. {i}This{/i} is too nice."

    mina "Yeah, {b}it{/b} is..."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/inner-light.ogg"

    mina "Hey [mcf]. When you think of yourself, do you feel like somebody, or do you feel like a nobody?"

    "As she spoke, her hold on me grew more secure."

    mc "That's out of nowhere."

    mina "No, it's not. Don't guys get all introspective after they cum?"

    mc "Yeah, well, you got me there."

    mina "What even is that? Is it some kind of survival thing?"

    mina "Like, hey, you made a baby. So take stock, get your ducks in order?"

    mc "Usually, it's just guilt over the fucked up thing you just masturbated to."

    mina "Tell me about that later, but let's return to my original question..."

    mina "Gun to your head, if you had to pick one or the other..."

    mc "Right now? I'm feeling like somebody. What about you?"

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "I don't know. When things get quiet, my mind starts to wonder and wander."

    mina "I know it's messed up, but all I can think of is that if you got something out of me, then I'm good. I put something into the world."

    mc "I didn't {i}get{/i} something from you. We shared an afternoon."

    mina "Sorry, I didn't mean it in a bad way."

    mc "It's okay. I know you didn't."

    mina "My dad once told me that if you give the world love, the world will provide you with love in return. It's not true, but I like to pretend it is."

    mc "I can tell you try to live like it's true. Every part of you is so... {i}it must be exhausting{/i}."

    mina "Sometimes I think giving other people love and kindness is like shouting into an {i}empty cave{/i}, and all you get reflected back is a dying echo of your voice that you can't even fucking stand."

    mc "...how do you find the acoustics with me?"

    mina "You haven't told me to just shut up and go to sleep."

    mina "You have NO idea how much I appreciate that."

    mc "...for what it's worth, my dad had a similar philosophy. He was a lawyer who helped people who couldn't help themselves."

    mc "He had a lot of love, and that love is reflected every time my mom speaks about him. It's reflected in the affection she gives me and it hasn't faded a single decibel."

    mina "He sounds awesome."

    mc "Your dad sounds pretty cool himself.  I have a good feeling there's part of him in you as well."

    mina "That's another thing I appreciate, [mcf]. You saying that."

    mc "Well, I appreciate you letting me blow your back out."

    mina "Pfffh- {b}ha!{/b} You just can't let a moment happen without making a joke, can you?"

    mc "Who says I'm joking? I appreciate it. It was very cool of you."

    mina "Shut up and go to bed."

    mc "Noooot sleepy~"

    mina "I don't sound like that!"

    "........."

    "......"

    play sound "sound effects/shower.wav"

    "..."

    "We laid around for another five or ten minutes before finally dredging ourselves out of bed."

    "Mina had rebounded a lot quicker than I had, full of pep and giving credence to my suspicion that she might just be a succubus."

    play music "music/dog-park.ogg"

    mina "Mmmh, hmhhmmm~"

    mina "Da da da da~ hmmmm~"

    mina "La, la, laaaa~ dadadada~"

    mina "So... what kind of girl do you like, [mcf]? ~you can't say perky and blonde, either!"

    mc "Like romantically? Put little thought into it."

    mina "None whatsoever...?"

    mina "Okay, say you go to a porn site. What are you searching for?"

    mc "Those are two completely different things."

    mina "Mmmh, hmm... ARE theeeeey...?"

    mc "Well, not {i}completely{/i}, but... it's not like I search for say... {i}kind{/i}, {b}trustworthy{/b} blondes."

    mina "So you {i}do{/i} know the kind of girl you like?"

    mc "Would a vague answer like that satisfy you?"

    mina "Not in the least!"

    mc "I didn't think so."

    mc "Well, what kind of man do you like? And don't say nerdy med students."

    mina "I don't know either."

    mc "No clue, eh? Okay then... say YOU go to a porn site..."

    mina "Two dudes going at it! Hard, haha!"

    mc "Sounds like you could always squeeze yourself into a throuple."

        mina "Like you and Hana, for example?"

            mc "..."

            mina "You told me about it, remember?"

            mc "I told you it was just a casual thing."

            mina "So you did..."

            mc "I told you it was just a casual thing."

            mina "Hehe, casual's good~"

        mina "Any guys out there you want to sleep with so we can make that happen?"

        mc "I-"

        mina "Wait, don't answer that!"

        mc "I wasn't."

        mina "Hehe~"

    mc "Soooooooo..."

    "......"

    mc "...you watch a lot of porn, huh?"

    mina "Is that... {i}weird{/i}?"

    mc "It would be one of the more normal things about you. What's with that look?"

    mina "Hmmmgg, that's the same thing as calling me weird, right?"

    mc "I meant it as a compliment. Sure, you could fill in the blank and say the absence of normal is {i}weird{/i}, but there's also {b}exceptional{/b} or {b}unique{/b}."

    mc "...but the porn thing, that's pretty normal in itself."

    mina "......"

    mina "...Ian thought it was weird for a girl to look at porn."

    mc "Heh, that is rich coming from a guy with his own homemade collection. Did he actually say as much?"

    "That was, as usual for the pair, very bizarre."

    mina "In so many different ways, over so many different things... it wasn't always direct, but I think he found a whole bunch of stuff about me off-putting."

    mina "{i}I learned to keep my thoughts to myself and just go along with whatever he wanted to do{/i}."

    mc "Ah... {b}fuck Ian.{/b}. Forget that shit."

    mina "Heh, yeeeeeah. It seems obvious now, but it's funny how you don't realize how the {i}little{/i} things affect your self-esteem until you get some distance."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Do you know what might be fun?"

    mina "...a game of Jenga?"

    mc "{i}No{/i}. Let's go see what kind of boring porn they have on VOD and watch some together."

    mina "We don't have to. I know what you're doing."

    mc "What? There's nothing weird about a horny couple renting a hotel room and setting the mood with a little visual stimulation."

    mina "That seems a bit out of order."

    mc "Does it? I don't know about you, but..."

    play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

    mina "O-oomf!"

    mc "I'm still feeling pretty naughty."

    mina "Hehe~ alright... it does sound pretty fun."

    mc "Good."

    play music "music/select.ogg"

    "We spent the next hour and a half watching some random run-of-the-mill feature, the type you'd expect to see available from a chain hotel."

    "It didn't {i}kick things off again{/i}, but it was fun in its own way. I hoped it might alleviate whatever dumb hangup Ian planted in her head."

    mct "(Hmm... she seems familiar...)"

    "It was more like one of those bad movie nights I used to have with Mom and Ian. We poked fun at the acting, sounds, and expressions the couple on screen made."

    mina "What? You made a face just like that!"

    mc "Of course, I did! Everyone looks stupid when they're fucking!"

    mina "Hehe~ {b}I don't!{/b}"

    "By the time it was over, we had spoken on a number of topics. One way or another, it always came back to sex."

    "From sexual politics to Mina's conservative upbringing and her mother's contradictory love of men. And why wouldn't it, when sitting butt naked, skin-to-skin on a hotel bed?"

    mina "Yeeeeeah, Felicia said that isn't as fun as it sounds..."

    "{i}...and why wouldn't it? My livelihood wholly revolved around sex."

    mina "What about you? You have some, right?"

    "We touched on her myriad fantasies before she turned the question back on me."

    mc "Honestly, when you wanted to compare notes, I low-balled it with the window thing."

    mina "Compared to what? Using the bathroom on my chest?"

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "*Ahem, ahh... ah, {i}ew{/i}."

    mc "No, it's not that. Not necessarily..."

    mina "Not necessarily?!"

    mc "My biggest fantasy... it's..."

    "Mina was so good at putting a man to ease that I felt comfortable enough treading in deeper waters."

    mc "My biggest fantasy is to {i}really{/i} let go."

    mina "Let go of what?"

    mc "...{b}everything{/b}. Not just my cares and worries, like a lot of people would mean, but my entire identity."

    mc "My memories, the love of the people in my life, {i}the love I feel in return{/i}, my purported morals, my past, my dreams, my ambitions--"

    mina "--your doubts, fears, anxiety, the nagging voice in your head. {i}Everything{/i}. I got you."

    mc "You understand, then?"

    mina "All of it makes me feel uneasy too, but moving to California and reinventing yourself won't shut up the voice in your head."

    mc "You've considered that, huh?"

    mina "Hasn't everyone dreamed of going to someplace no one knows you? {i}Heh{/i}, too scary!"

    mina "Besides, you can't unbuild yourself; you can only... redirect. {i}I think{/i}."

    "......."

    "..."

    mina "Ah, but what the hell do I know? What does any of this have to do with cumming?"

    mc "I don't have any complex fantasies. All I want to do is to be mean."

    mina "Name-calling and hair-pulling?"

    mc "Not quite..."

    mina "We could try S&M sometime if you want."

    mc "That's a small part of it, but it's not exactly that..."

    mina "Take your time. I won't judge you."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "It's difficult to put into words. I want to capture a {i}feeling{/i} more than a specific act."

    "Mina patiently waited for me to continue while I ordered my thoughts."

    mc "There's a feeling of {i}revulsion{/i} that I want to turn inside out and direct at the world."

    mina "Like how sometimes I get so disgusted with things that I just want to scream and let it all out?"

    mc "Exactly like that. {i}Too much like that{/i}."

    mina "Oh, [mcf]... {b}every{/b} part of you is valid. There's not a thing wrong with wanting all your feelings seen and acknowledged."

    mc "Is that what I want...? Ah, ha..."

    man "What are you?!"

    vic "A-ahh, hhnnggg- I'm a stupid whore!"

    man "Do you like having sex for money?!"

    vic "Ahh, hhn- Y-yees-"

    man "What's better, dick or money?!"

    vic "I, hhh- that's... ahh, hnggg... c-cccumming-"

    man "Haha, you bitch!"

    mc "...sometimes I think all I want to do is find something holy and venerated and step on it until it's ugly, but that would just be a toddler having a temper tantrum."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    mina "Ah, [mcf]..."

        mina "I don't want to presume, but I enjoyed what we did today. I'd like to do it again... {i}many{/i} times, in fact."

        mc "So did I. Ha, I'm glad I changed my mind about you."

        mina "Don't be smug! I'm trying to say something serious!"

        mina "What I mean is... there are things I want to experience, things you want to work through... what if we helped each other?"

        mc "Well, I won't say no to continuing this sort of relationship, but that last part..."

        mina "I know I've already brought this up, but I mean it even more now. You're helping me with my stuff; what if I could be an out for your feelings as well?"

    mc "Truthfully, it sounds scary."

    mina "Well, heh... You don't have to commit to anything concrete... just know that..."

    mina "I'm pathetic and eager to please? {i}Hehe{/i}... sorry, I'm getting a little self-conscious here."

    mina "...what I really want to say is I'd like to experience a {b}relationship{/b} where you don't have to measure out what you give and get."

        "In this moment, I couldn't help but think of the monogamy I promised Hana."

        mct "(Gah... why does life pile so many good things in my lap?)"

        "Life's really piling many good things in my lap lately, huh..."

    mc "When you say relationship, do you mean...?"

    mina "I'll be blunt. When I think of the future, I picture a lot of things, and one of those things is having someone to call {i}my{/i} own, but that's {i}the future{/i}."

    mina "I don't want to be one of those women who jump from relationship to relationship, never able to live for themselves. My mother is like that."

    mc "She's on husband number four, right?"

    mina "I know myself enough to see that's where I could head. I mean... even now, there's a voice in my head telling me that {i}I need someone{/i}, but..."

    mina "I want to be a more self-reliant Mina and have the next someone come from the benefit of perspective."

    mc "The fact that you can put it into words makes it seem like you're already pointed in that direction."

    mina "Hehe~ I hope! And maybe one day, knowing myself... I {i}will{/i} want something from you. If that happens, I'll try not to be angry if you don't feel the same."

    mc "You... {i}really{/i} make it easy for a guy."

    mina "I'd ask the same of you... not that you ever would want something {b}more{/b}, right?"

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "Kidding! Kidding! Testing the waters! Kidding!"

    "I couldn't help but share in her laugh."

    mina "So... I can cross fucking in a hotel off my list."

        mc "You have a list?"

        mina "That was, uh... what I wanted help with the other day."

        mc "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that after you--"

        mina "{b}Yeeeep.{/b}"

        mc "That was an easy one."

        mina "--and fun one to boot, hehe~"

    mc "What else do you have on your list?"

    mina "Hmmm, weeeeeell..."

    "Mina looked like she was giving it serious thought."

    mc "Tell me the big ones."

    mina "Something big? You didn't even give me anything concrete!"

    mc "What happened to not measuring things out? Besides..."

    "*Chwup, fhwhup~*"

    mina "Ahh, hhnn- n-no f-fair...!"

    mina "Hnnngg..."

    mc "C'mon, just a few immediate ones you feel like you're ready to try? We're talking about making them a reality, remember?"

    mina "Ah, alright... in no order..."

    mina "Sex outside."

    mc "Doable."

    "I knew I was capable of that thanks to Rosalind."

    mina "I'd like to try being in the lead for once. Like {i}really{/i} in the lead."

    mc "Very doable."

    mina "Some costumes and roleplay would be fun."

    mc "Extremely doable, but isn't that your job?"

    mina "I should be good at it, right? It could double as practice!"

    mc "What would you like to roleplay?"

    mina "I... {b}don't know.{/b}"

    mc "Ah, well... we can figure out the specifics later. Anything else?"

        mina "I want to... I want to... ah..."

        mina "I want to try having sex with a woman."

        mc "Even if we limit it to someone we both know, that's also workable."

        mina "...eh?! You think? You can't just ask someone, especially someone you know to--"

        mc "Sure you can."

            mc "Veronica was super into you."

            mina "She was?!"

            mc "She stopped short of molesting you the day we joined her gym. How the hell could you not tell?"

            mina "Ah, umm... {i}all girls school{/i}?"

            mc "That's your excuse for everything, huh?"

            mina "It's a good one!"

                mc "We could also ask Hana. You two seemed friendly enough."

                mina "Just because two women got along socially ONE time doesn't mean--"

                mc "I'm just putting it out there as an option. Neither of us could go to a bar and pick up a third without embarrassing ourselves."

                    mct "(Although, kinda weird fucking idea to bring up when I just promised her monogamy... yeeeah, that {b}could{/b} go south, but great things can't be done without risk.)"

                mc "You don't know her {i}that{/i} well, so if we could get her to agree, there is no chance of ruining a good thing."

                    mina "Do you think she would be down?"

                    mina "Do you two have the kind of relationship where you could just ask-"

                    mc "Not exactly, but we could all get together and see how it goes."

                mc "You'll have to put in some work too. Try to be a little more seductive than you were with me."

                mina "Ah, yy-- aahh...!"

                mc "Sorry, it's just too fun - and hey, if you don't want to try either of those, there's always Felicia."

                mina "Felicia?! I c--"

                mc "You could, and she would. You know she's permanently down to fuck, but even if she wasn't, she'd probably even do it as a favor."

                mina "I wouldn't want her to do it as a favor!"

                mina "She's my only female friend. That sounds like a bad idea."

                mc "We could also ask Felicia. If anyone would be amenable, it'd be here. You might even be most comfort--"

                mina "A-ahh... you think? She's my only female friend... that sounds like a bad idea."

                mc "You know she's permanently down to fuck, but she would probably do it as a favor."

                mina "I wouldn't want her to do it as a favor!"

                mc "I'm just saying it's an option. I don't think either of us could go to a bar and pick up a third without embarrassing ourselves--"

            mc "You and Hana had some chemistry."

            mina "Just because two women got along socially one time doesn't mean--"

            mc "I'm just putting it out there as an option. Neither of us could go to a bar and pick up a third without embarrassing ourselves."

                mct "(Although, kinda weird fucking idea to bring up when I just promised her monogamy... yeeeah, that {b}could{/b} go south, but great things can't be done without risk.)"

            mc "You don't know her {i}that{/i} well, so if we could get her to agree, there is no chance of ruining a good thing."

                mina "Do you think she would be down?"

                mina "Do you two have the kind of relationship where you could just ask-"

                mc "Not exactly, but we could all get together and see how it goes."

            mc "You'll have to put in some work too. Try to be a little more seductive than you were with me."

            mina "Ah, yy-- aahh...!"

            mc "Sorry, it's just too fun - and hey, if you don't want to try either of those, there's always Felicia."

            mina "Felicia?! I c--"

            mc "You could, and she would. You know she's permanently down to fuck, but even if she wasn't, she'd probably even do it as a favor."

            mina "I wouldn't want her to do it as a favor!"

            mina "She's my only female friend. That sounds like a bad idea."

            mc "You think? She's pretty fucking casual about--"

            mc "Who would you be more comfortable with than Felicia? You know she's always down to--"

            mina "Felicia? She's my only female friend. I couldn't. it'd be so--"

            mc "Would it?"

            mina "I, uhh... I don't know? It would be new territory for me."

            mc "You know she'd be down, right?"

            mina "Y-yeeah... {i}probably{/i}."

            mc "She'd probably even do it as a favor."

            mina "I don't want her to do it as a favor!"

            mc "It could be a good chance for you two to grow closer."

            mina "You just want to sleep with both of--"

            mc "Hey, hey... this is your list. I'm just putting it out there as an option."

            mc "I don't think either of us could pick up a third at a bar without embarrassing ourselv--"

        mina "I want to... I want to--"

    play sound "sound effects/ringing-inbound.wav"

    "*Ring, ring*"

    mc "Ah, hold that thought."

    mct "(I should've just let it go to--)"

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    "Unknown number. I usually wouldn't answer, but something in my mind {i}told{/i} me I should."

    mc "Hello?"

    play music "music/bellissimo.ogg"

    sophia "Hello, Mr. [mcl]. I didn't think we would speak again so soon."

    mc "...you're the one who called me, Miss Lundgren."

    sophia "It's not a social call. Well, not one on my behalf."

    sophia "How soon will you arrive home?"

    mc "I don't know. I wasn't planning on it anytime-"

    sophia "Mr. Van Doren has graciously found time in his schedule to educate you. He'll be here in one hour, {b}exactly.{/b}"

    mc "What? You can't just--"

    sophia "Please be here. It's to your benefit."

    play sound "sound effects/call-end.wav"

    mc "Huh, wait- ah, shit."

    mina "Something wrong?"

    mc "My neighbor had a pipe burst. I've got to-"

    mina "Sure. No problem."

    mc "You're not mad I have to run off?"

    mina "Why would I be? Saves me from having to awkwardly end our fun because I {i}really{/i} don't want to spend an entire night at a hotel without my stuff."

    mc "Yeeeah, what would we have done? Get dinner and watch TV?"

    mina "That wouldn't be so bad sometime, but not without access to my make up."

    mc "...what were we talking about before, ah. Yeah."

    mina "Call me tonight, okay?"

    $ history_mina = "After an afternoon tryst, Mina proposed helping me work through some of my own fantasies. It's a tempting offer... "

    play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    mc "Sure, will do."

    "Ah, goddamn it. I {b}hate{/b} rushing. What the hell does that old man even want."

    "When I got back, I should've been more surprised at what I found, but honestly... part of me expected it."

    abel "Oh, good you're here."

    "Abel was sitting comfortably in a chair, a glass of tea in front of him, while Sophia idled in the kitchen." #to align with render

    abel "I feared you might stand me up like the ugly girl at a winter formal."

    mc "You broke into my home?"

    "A quick inspection of the room told me it was likely just us, although my mind doubled back and second-guessed the conspicuously suited man I had passed at the building's entrance."

    abel "I did, although \"breaking in\" would be a generous term for the piddly security of this building."

    abel "I do apologize about that, but I don't like visiting places that aren't verified by my staff."

    mc "What kind of danger could you possibly expect in a pl--"

    sophia "Look here."

    mc "What is...?"

    sophia "It's a listening audio device that broadcasts sound above a specific decibel."

    mc "...I've been spied on?"

    sophia "I don't think so. This is the only one we found, likely forgotten after the others had been shoddily removed."

    sophia "What's more, the battery likely ran out some time ago.  This model can operate for 75 days in standby mode, so I suspect a previous tenant who had something to worry about."

    abel "Point is, I only go places that are verified by my staff. Forgive the intrusion."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Why are you here?"

    abel "Very respectably to the point. Good eye contact too."

    mc "What is this, some kind of performance review?"

    abel "Everything in life is performative, Mr. [mcl] - and every performance is judged."

    mc "Like how you broke into my home? Is that supposed to imply something?"

    abel "I hoped it might show how serious I am about this conversation."

    abel "I don't make house calls. {b}People come to me.{/b}"

    abel "Sit down, please. It's rude to stand."

    "Part of me wanted to desperately tell the old man to fuck off, but there was something about him that made refusing seem impossible."

    "Whatever. {i}Let's talk{/i}."

    mc "Why are you here?"

    abel "Would you like Sophia to provide you some relief?"

    mc "Why are you here?"

    abel "The third time is less charming, but I understand your desire to cut to the heart of matters."

    abel "I'm an overly familiar old man, but I do come bearing sound advice. I looked into you."

    mc "You're not the first, unfortunately..."

    abel "I am indeed the most thorough though, so I feel comfortable prescribing the following verdict."

    abel "{i}There is nothing remotely remarkable about you.{/i} You are shockingly unexceptional."

    mc "Thanks..."

    abel "At first, I thought it would be appropriate to toy with you, just as he has seen fit to do with my Sophia, but your connection to Charles is tenuous at best."

    abel "And even if you were his protégé, I doubt he would mind me sniffing around. Undoubtedly, he would find it an interesting note in {i}his{/i} story."

    mc "..."

    "What the fuck could I say to any of this? So I just kept my mouth shut and waited for him to further enlighten me."

    abel "No, I'm here talking to you for a less petty purpose. How much do you know about the people who now surround you?"

    mc "They're not the savory sort."

    abel "No one of consequence ever is, but do you know the specifics?"

    mc "Just what I could find on the internet."

    abel "Ah, so nothing at all."

    abel "No one in this world {b}deserves{/b} a fair shake, despite what they tell you, but thankfully you fall within my providence. You see there are two types of people in this world..."

    mc "There's probably a lot more than two..."

    abel "Hush. There are those who think nothing of killing a spider in their own home. They simply can't be bothered to do otherwise."

    abel "The other kind of person is the type who takes time to capture and release the spider safely, cognizant that a mere bug doesn't choose to encroach where it doesn't belong."

    abel "Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, but I'm here because you should be familiar with your environment. So you can have no one else to blame but yourself if you are dispossessed."

    mc "{b}Please{/b}, educate me."

    "What else could I say? Dr. Van Doren's motives aside, I wish he wasn't here, but it would be naïve to think I could make it through years at the Carnation Club without facing some obvious truths."

    mct "(That is... if he even tells me the truth. {i}Why the hell is he truly here{/i}?)"

    abel "Do you trust your bosses?"

    mc "One's a gangster, one's a bomb-making hedonist, and one of them is Kathleen Pulman; I trust them to have their best interests at heart, but that is true of most employer-employee relationships isn't it?"

    mc "Part of working for {i}anyone{/i} is becoming their best interest."

    abel "I'm wondering what I'm even doing here."

    mc "For the record, I don't trust you have good intentions either."

    abel "Because of the present circumstances?"

    mc "No. Because you're a head of a major pharmaceutical company, cavorting with pimps, refining a sex drug alongside your whore Nazi scientist."

    sophia "Nazi?!"

    mc "No offense Sophia, but being blonde, sharply dressed in black, and testing drugs on people without their consent does conjure up a specific image."

    abel "You're mad."

    mc "You claim you're here to be candid? I'll be blunt too."

    sophia "You have no idea who--"

    abel "Pffh, hahaha! Hahahaha! I like you! I'm REALLY starting to think I've wasted my time."

    mc "{b}Don't{/b}. Educate me about my environment and the people I work for."

    abel "Okay, let's start with the gangster. You have a vague impression of his character, but you don't know his crimes do you?"

    mc "No."

    abel "It's so easy to get lulled into a sense of security when you're only exposed to a particular side of a person. Still, the man is an extortionist at heart."

    abel "Loan sharking, protection rackets, insurance scams, gambling, prostitution. He's very much destroyed lives - not to mention he's killed people."

    mc "...*ahem*, yeah?"

    abel "Well, he's not a convicted murderer. He's a person of interest in four disappearances."

    mc "That can mean a lot of things."

    abel "{i}You want it to.{/i} And if he's not responsible, he's undoubtedly a factor in a number of suicides."

    abel "Have you ever wondered if he knew your mother?"

    mc "What?!"

    abel "How many videos did she shoot? How big do you think the porn industry of Moore Head Hills is?"

    "......"

    "..."

    mct "(What the fuck, does everyone--)"

    abel "It's better not to know, I suppose. I can tell you who HAS killed people."

    mc "Warren?"

    abel "For one... that man is a menace."

    abel "It takes a lot to get kicked out of the kind of mercenary company that would take a piece of trash like him, but he's pulled it off multiple times - for the same company, no less."

    abel "A by-product of being good at your job, but his \"Sandman\" moniker wasn't given to him because he excelled at fighting. {b}No{/b}, it has more to do with why he's currently a wanted man, living out of your club."

    "......"

    "..."

    mct "(Holy shit, but I guess no fucking surprise there...)"

    mc "You said for one? Who's the other?"

    abel "Who do you suspect?"

    mct "(Jacob...)"

    abel "Warren's partner is more professional but a killer all the same. He got into trouble as a young man in Quebec that saw him flee the country."

    abel "After his time in the French Foreign Legion, he came to the States. Worked protection for various unsavory sorts."

    abel "Did other jobs too. The high-risk kind, the sort you contract out so it doesn't lead back to you."

    abel "I don't think he took to it, considering he now guards a brothel. Still, it begs the question of what the man remains capable of."

    mc "And Dr. Kohler?"

    abel "He's everything you imagine him to be, but worse."

    abel "War profiteering, bribery, falsification of documents, state-sanctioned smuggling. He's done a lot for his country."

    abel "A true American hero. A self-made man. {b}An irredeemable nihilist{/b}, of the lowest order - and that's before you even get into his hobbies..."

    mc "Are you any better? You profit obscenely off the backs of sick people. {i}You lobby{/i}."

    abel "I serve a purpose that will merit no appreciable distinction from the likes of you."

    mc "{i}Riiiight{/i}... what about Kathleen? You neglected to mention her."

    abel "She has Charles' nasty disposition but none of his accomplishments. As you noted, you can count on her to act in her own best interests. The only problem is I don't think she knows what that is."

    mct "(He talks like he knows something...)"

    "It pisses me off."

    abel "She's harmless."

    mct "(I'm sure some people would disagree with that...)"

    abel "You're young; you have your whole life ahead of you. You may even make something of yourself if you keep your eyes open."

    abel "Success is built upon and sustained by reading the wind and the changing tides. Nothing in this world lasts forever, from vaunted intuitions, to your favorite ice cream shop, and especially criminal enterprises."

    mc "Are you suggesting I should quit?"

    abel "Not in the least! Quite the contrary, I believe you'd find quitting a more strenuous process. No, where you are is best."

    abel "I'm suggesting you pay attention, so you don't get caught unaware."

    mct "(He's DEFINITELY getting at something.)"

    abel "If you ever find yourself in a bind, give Sophia a call. You should have her personal number now."

    play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

    "Boop!"

    mc "What kind of bind would I find myself in?"

    abel "Perhaps the kind that would see your home bugged and surveilled. Do you know who lived here last?"

    mc "I do..."

    "Darius. The man who allegedly blackmailed Kathleen before running off."

    abel "Do you know about him? Well, whatever he did, I would avoid making that same mistake."

    mc "Be straight with me. You know something."

    abel "I'm only making an inference, but it's entirely possible that the listening device has been here for years. I just wanted to underline my point."

    sophia "It's a recent model. {b}A year old{/b}."

    abel "Is it? That's good to know."

    abel "We shall take our leave now. Sorry for the intrusion."

    mc "Wait... so let me get this straight."

    mc "An important man like you came here to give me vague advice out of the goodness of your heart, is that it?"

    abel "[mcf]... let me ask you something... what could I {i}possibly{/i} get from a nobody like you?"

    abel "Think about it. Makes no sense."

    abel "This cost me nothing."

    "......"

    "..."

        sophia "Have a good afternoon, [mcf]."

    "They showed themselves out just as they had let themselves in, leaving me confused."

    "I hadn't learned anything I hadn't {i}known{i}. August was a piece of shit criminal, Chuck wasn't as I remembered him, and the two soldiers guarding the place had a body count."

    "None of that should surprise me, even if I tried not to think about it, but I felt disturbed and unsafe."

    mct "(I mean, fuck... I'm just a pre-med student from the suburbs.)"

    mc "What the hell was the deal with that bug?"

    "Was that {i}really{/i} the only one? Were there more? Did they plant it? Did they pretend it was here - no {i}why would they do that{/i}?"

    "It made no sense, but I knew the rest of my night would be spent researching how to detect listening devices. I wouldn't have peace of mind otherwise."

    mct "(Makes no sense, makes no sense...)"

    "Dr. Van Doren's question repeated in my head."

    "What could he possibly get from a nobody like me?"

    mct "(God damn it, I don't like people coming and going as they please.)"

    play sound "sound effects/door-knock.wav"

    "*Knock, knock*"

    vic "[mcf]?"

    play music "music/night-on-the-docks-sax.ogg"

    $ date = "june15night"

    "What I did know is I didn't want to sleep in my apartment tonight. So tomorrow, I'd ensure I wasn't being spied on, but for now..."

    mc "Heeeeeeey. Fancy seeing you here."

    "The comfort of home."

        vic "Twice in so few days? That's--"

        vic "Hey, hun! What are you doing here?"

    mc "Dropping in unannounced is a family trait."

    vic "..."

    mc "Are you busy? Want to watch some movies?"

    vic "Are you ok- ah..."

    vic "{i}Always{/i}."

    "Don't ask."

    mc "Hey, say..."

    "Don't ask. Don't ask."

    mc "Do you know a..."

    "Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask."

    mc "Do you know an August Byrnes?"

    vic "Hmm...?"

    "WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU ASKING?!"

    "......"

    "..."

    "IF SHE DOES, YOU JUST EXPOSED--"

    vic "Is he a director? Has he done anything I've seen?"

    vic "O-oh, wwhaaa...?!"

    "Oh, thank God."

    "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

    mc "I'm going to cook you dinner tonight."

    vic "Ah, um... sure..."

    mc "What? Huh? This is all you have in the fridge? How are you staying healthy?!"

    "......"

    "..."

    "......"

    "..."

    "After everything, I found myself alone."

    "Not without accompaniment, but actually {i}alone{/i}."

    "Just me by my lonesome in a big dark room, not a single soul around, enjoying an afternoon matinée."

    woman "It's coming! {b}Ruuuuuuun!{/b}"

    trailer "Coming this summer."

    mct "(Hmmm, Allison Smith...)"

    mct "(What movie do I know her from...?)"

    trailer "Storms of Andromeda"

    mct "(Ah, hell. Who knows. This looks like shit, anyway.)"

    movieguy "...please put your phones away. Now, for the feature presentation."

    mct "(Man, what a day already...)"

    mct "(The shoot was taxing. I should check in on the Carnations tomorrow, right?)"

    mct "(Ah... what am I doing with my life? Why am I even watching this?)"

    mct "(Hmmm. This kicks ass.)"

    play sound "sound effects/ringing-inbound.wav"

    "*Ring, Ring*"

    mct "(Unknown number... well, I mean...)"

    mc "I'm the only one here."

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    mc "Hello?"

    play music "music/bellissimo.ogg"

    sophia "Hello, Mr. [mcl]. I didn't think we would speak again so soon."

    mc "...you're the one who called me, Miss Lundgren."

    sophia "It's not a social call. Well, not one on my behalf."

    sophia "How soon will you arrive home?"

    mc "I don't know. I wasn't planning on it anytime-"

    sophia "Mr. Van Doren has graciously found time in his schedule to educate you. He'll be here in one hour, {b}exactly.{/b}"

    mc "What? You can't just--"

    sophia "Please be here. It's to your benefit."

    mc "Huh, wait! Ah, s-shit!"

    mct "(After fucking with me, she thinks she can just--)"

    mc "Ah, damn it."

    mct "(Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.)"

    mct "(Educate me? What the... ah...)"

    "What other option do I have? I need to see what this crap is about."

    mct "(Whatever it is, it probably isn't good.)"

    "......."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/hotshot-slow.ogg"

    grace "Is that all you have to say for yourself?"

    kil "It will do."

    grace "........."

    grace "......"

    grace "..."

    kil "Stop breaking my balls, alright?!!"

    grace "From where I'm standing, you still need to drop them."

    kil "Ah, y-you- hhhnn- {b}d-damn it!{/b}"

    grace "What?"

    kil "*sigh* That was a good one."

    grace "Thank you."

    "..."

    grace "You don't return my calls, you miss your little cousin's graduation, your father's birthday party, and now you skip out on our anniversary party."

    grace "You've made it abundantly clear you don't want to be a part of this family."

    kil "...have I? Then why are you here?"

    grace "I can't accept that. Family's important, Ian."

    grace "Besides Charlie, I had no one. He raised and put me through school, where I met your father."

    grace "Suddenly, I had a lot of family. You shouldn't throw that away just because of our disagreements."

    grace "Your cousin adores you; she has nothing to do with your perpetual temper tantrum."

    kil "I was busy."

    grace "Don't lie to me. Your father and I gave you everything you ever asked for. You never wanted for anything."

    kil "There are some things I shouldn't have to ask for."

    grace "I tried everything. When I thought I was smothering you, I gave you space. When that didn't work, I didn't know what the fuck to do."

    play sound "sound effects/ringing-inbound.wav"

    "*Ring, ring*"

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    kil "Yeah, Doc?"

        "After setting up the time and place with Mina, I had time to kill, so I thought I'd drop in on my hung-over and ailing friend."

            "Whether it was some manifestation of guilt or if I was truly concerned, the irony of my visit wasn't lost on me."

        "With nothing better to do, I thought I'd drop in on my hung-over, ailing friend."

    kil "Uh, huh. It's open. Just let yourself in."

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    "*Beep*"

    kil "That was [mcf], so let's finish this conversation never."

    grace "I don't know what to do, but... just... {i}I love you, son.{/i}"

    grace "Time is more precious than you realize. I won't always be here. Ignoring your feelings today will just make you bitter tomorrow."

    kil "[mcf] will be here soon."

    grace "Yeah, I get the message."

    mc "Oh, uh... hello, Mrs. Beaufort. How are you?"

    grace "I'm good, [mcf]. I was just leaving."

    mc "Oh, well. It was nice to--"

    play music "music/hotshot.ogg"

    kil "Thank God you showed up when you did! You cut her bitching short."

    mc "Glad to be of use."

    kil "So what's up? Dropping by out of the blue isn't like you."

    mc "I just got off \"work.\" Wanted to come by and see how my sick little boy is doing."

    kil "Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I just didn't feel like it, okay?"

    mc "You must have been really knocking them back last night if it put {b}you{/b} out of commission, huh?"

    kil "What can I say? It was a special occasion."

    mc "Drowning your sorrows?"

    kil "Not exactly, but... I don't know. It felt like a thing to do."

    kil "Even if I made my own bed, Mina is the longest relationship I have ever had."

    kil "Honestly, I should've been drinking out of relief. Mina was a far too intense woman for me."

    mc "Wasn't she more like a doormat?"

    kil "In some ways, but she also put off this weird vibe. I don't know how to explain it. I could never get a solid read on her like I could other girls."

    mc "What do you mean by that?"

    kil "I've been wondering that myself."

        kil "Like I'm the type of person who likes to test the limits of what I can get away with. I do it with my parents, I do it with my Uncle, and with the women I fuck. So naturally, I did it with the woman I..."

        kil "I don't know. Typically when I piss someone off, I see {i}their{/i} shit."

        kil "Their fucked up messes, what they {i}demanded{/i} of me, just stuff that made me feel good about twisting the knife."

        mc "But with Mina?"

        kil "Sometimes it felt like she was a mirror, right? Whenever I fucked up or made her jealous, it was like seeing what other people saw when they looked at me."

        kil "For the first time, instead of testing other people's limits, I was seeing what I could get away with myself. Whenever she looked hurt, {i}I felt it{/i}."

        kil "Don't just look at me like that. Does that make any fucked up sense?"

        mc "Yeah, that's kinda messed up, dude - but I get it."

        kil "You do?"

        mc "Our views of ourselves are just unsubstantiated delusions until they meet opposition."

        kil "Hell no, man. I live a dope life. I don't need some bitch to shatter that."

        mc "...yeah?"

        kil "I don't know, man. She's just not as stupid as she looks and I don't fucking get it."

        kil "I woke up one night and she was just staring at me, lost in thought. Like the way Uncle sometimes gets when we play games."

        mc "You sure she wasn't just 'mirin you, hot stuff?"

        kil "God, don't say that word."

        mc "What word?"

        kil "That actually made my skin crawl."

        mc "I mean, how could a girl not look? You're sooooo good-looking, Ian."

        kil "Stop."

        mc "God's gift to womankind."

        kil "STOOOOOOOP. I'm not that kind of full of myself!"

        mc "Oh, you're not?"

        kil "No! I'm a fucking gremlin with money and I know that, okay? A gremlin with a {b}dope life.{/b}"

    mc "So you've said before."

    kil "How long are you staying? I got all day."

        mc "I could fuck around for a couple of hours. Enough time to get a bite to eat and binge an episode or two of whatever shitty reality show we can find."

        mc "Let's kick it all day, then."

    kil "What a lucky week. You telling me I get some of my best friend's time two days in a row?"

    mc "This is why Mina thought you wanted to fuck me, you know that?"

    kil "Did she say that?!"

    mc "She didn't need to. I could feel the jealousy in the air the day we met."

    kil "Nah, dude. It doesn't come off like that. I don't have any positive male examples to gauge my tone against. That's all!"

    "......"

    "..."

    mck "Pfhh, hahaha!"

    kil "...who would top?"

    mc "Is that a fucking question? If I asked you to, you'd spread it so wide that I could see what you had for lunch."

    kil "Oh, fuck off, that's gross! Who's the gay one now?!"

        "How could I laugh like this when I'm about to go see his ex after we..."

        mct "(Part of me wanted to tell him, but my sense of self-preservation prevented it. I didn't need to complicate my work life.)"

        mct "(Yeah, not afraid to rock the boat. Riiiiiight.)"

    mc "The real question should be, \"who's your fucking daddy?\" You {i}definitely{/i} have those sorts of issues."

    kil "Uhhhhhhhhh! I can't even deny that, can I?"

        "So we shot the shit, ate, watched TV... all that junk. It was fun, but... {b}yeah.{/b}"

        "I did have to go see his ex-girlfriend."

        "So we shot the shit, ate, watched TV, played games, watched a movie..."

        "As time passed, the question of when to go home was answered for me."

        play ambient "sound effects/ringing-inbound.wav"

        "*Ring, ring*"

        kil "Who is it?"

        mc "Unknown number."

        kil "Answer it."

        play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

        mc "Hello?"

        play music "music/bellissimo.ogg"

        sophia "Hello, Mr. [mcl]. I didn't think we would speak again so soon."

        mc "...you're the one who called me, Miss Lundgren."

        sophia "It's not a social call. Well, not one on my behalf."

        sophia "How soon will you arrive home?"

        mc "I don't know. I wasn't planning on it anytime-"

        sophia "Mr. Van Doren has graciously found time in his schedule to educate you. He'll be here in one hour, {b}exactly.{/b}"

        mc "What? You can't just--"

        sophia "Please be here. It's to your benefit."

        mc "Huh, wait! Ah, s-shit!"

        mct "(After fucking with me, she thinks she can just--)"

        mc "Ah, damn it."

        kil "What's wrong?"

        mct "(Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.)"

        mct "(Educate me? What the... ah...)"

        mc "I'm going to have a house guest."

        kil "Who?"

        mc "Abel Van Doren."

        kil "What the fuck? Why would he-"

        mc "I've got no goddamn clue, man."

        kil "I'll come with you."

        mc "No, it's best you don't. I'll call you later about it, though."

        kil "...ah, alright. Nice hanging with you, bro."

        mc "You too, Ian."

        "........."

        "......"

        "..."

2.        Week3Up2AbelMeeting

    "When I got back, I should've been more surprised at what I found, but honestly... part of me expected it."

    abel "Oh, good you're here."

    "Abel was sitting comfortably in a chair, a glass of tea in front of him, while Sophia idled in the kitchen." #to align with render

    abel "I feared you might stand me up like the ugly girl at a winter formal."

    "The old man's nonchalance about breaking into my home was nothing short of infuriating."

    "First it was Sophia fucking with me earlier with her drug, and now..."

        "Hold your tongue.":

            mc "Good afternoon, Dr. Van Doren. What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

            "There was no point in voicing my displeasure; there was only the reality that he was here, and like it or not, my life was now entangled with the whims of men like him."

            abel "I wanted to speak with you {i}outside{/i} the club."

            "A quick inspection of the room told me it was likely just us, although my mind doubled back and second-guessed the conspicuously suited man I had passed at the building's entrance."

            mc "Sophia phrased it differently. She said you wanted to educate me?"

            abel "Did she? Oh, Sophia..."

            abel "For all her wonderful gifts, tact isn't one of them."

            mc "Was she mistaken?"

            abel "There are always nuggets of value to be mined from any conversation."

            mc "Yeah, I see what you mean. {i}Mining{/i}."

            mc "Just like how your choice of words reinforces my impression of you?"

            abel "Show him, Sophia."

            sophia "It's a listening device that broadcasts sound above a specific decibel."

            mc "...are you saying I've been spied on?"

            sophia "I don't think so. This is the only one we found, likely shoddily forgotten after the others had been removed."

            sophia "What's more, the battery likely ran out some time ago. This model can operate for 75 days in standby mode, so I suspect it was a previous tenant who should have had privacy concerns."

            mc "I see..."

            mct "(Darius {i}was{/i} blackmailing the old woman. Her bugging this place {b}would{/b} make sense... still...)"

        "Call him out on it.":

            mc "You broke into my home?"

            "A quick inspection of the room told me it was likely just us, although my mind doubled back and second-guessed the conspicuously suited man I had passed at the building's entrance."

            abel "I did, although \"breaking in\" would be a generous term for the piddly security of this building."

            abel "I do apologize about that, but I don't like visiting places that aren't verified by my staff."

            mc "What kind of danger could you possibly expect in a pl--"

            sophia "Look here."

            mc "What is...?"

            sophia "It's a listening audio device that broadcasts sound above a specific decibel."

            mc "...are you saying I've been spied on?"

            sophia "I don't think so. This is the only one we found, likely forgotten after the others had been shoddily removed."

            sophia "What's more, the battery likely ran out some time ago. This model can operate for 75 days in standby mode, so I suspect it was a previous tenant who had unknown privacy concerns."

            abel "Point is, I only go places that are verified by my staff. Forgive the intrusion."

            mct "(Darius {i}was{/i} blackmailing the old woman. Her bugging this place {b}would{/b} make sense... still...)"

    "Still, this..."

        mc "This bugs me."

        sophia "Pffh-"

        sophia "No pun intended?"

        "{i}Disturbs me{/i}."

    mc "That's the only one you found?"

    sophia "After an exhaustive search, but it's possible we missed some."

    abel "Don't look so concerned. I highly doubt that device was meant for you - or were you under the illusion you had privacy here?"

    "......"

    "..."

        "Take control of the conversation.":

            mc "This has already been educational, sir."

            abel "Why do you say that?"

            mc "The guy I replaced left under unusual circumstances."

            abel "No doubt he did."

            mc "Did you know Darius?"

            abel "No. I'm new to Charles' club, remember?"

            mc "You've already demonstrated your precaution. Are you telling me you didn't look into the club's staff and patrons?"

            abel "Present staff and patrons, sure. I looked into you for example."

            mc "You didn't find anything interesting."

            abel "No, I did {b}not{/b}. You are remarkably unexceptional, if you don't mind me saying."

            mc "No, I don't mind. It's better that way."

            abel "I agree. The people that surround you at work underestimate you because of that. They think you're harmless."

            mc "I AM harmless."

            abel "Someone completely harmless wouldn't be swallowing their annoyance over an old man breaking and entering into their home, demanding their time."

            mc "Thinking before I act was a hard-learned lesson for me as a kid. That's all it is."

            abel "Thinking before you act is one of the few ingredients that you need to thrive in life."

            mc "What are the others?"

            abel "Luck, which you can't control. Another is opportunity, which, to an extent, is something you can."

            abel "But the most important thing, and this speaks to thinking before you act, is to know the difference between caution and hesitation."

            mc "Ha, yeeeeah..."

            mc "{i}\"Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true.\"{/i} Something like that?"

            sophia "Who said that, Gandhi?"

            mc "Bodhi."

            sophia "...huh?"

            abel "I'm just saying, [mcf]... if you were so inclined, you're in the kind of position you could levy to your benefit."

            mc "Does that have anything to do with why you're here, sir?"

            abel "It does not. I'm here because I wanted to caution you about your surroundings. You got pulled into this with the promise of money no doubt, dragged all by your friend, and involved in the club's enterprise because of an old man's desire to fulfill his nephew's whims."

            abel "How much do you know about the people around you?"

        "Urge Van Doren to get to the point.":

            mc "Why {i}are{/i} you here?"

            abel "Very respectably to the point. Good eye contact too."

            mc "What is this, some kind of performance review?"

            abel "Everything in life is performative, Mr. [mcl] - and every performance is judged."

            mc "Like how you broke into my home? Is that supposed to imply something?"

            abel "I hoped it might show how serious I am about this conversation."

            abel "I don't make house calls. {b}People come to me.{/b}"

            abel "Sit down, please. It's rude to stand."

            "Part of me wanted to desperately tell the old man to fuck off, but there was something about him that made refusing seem impossible."

            "Whatever. {i}Let's talk{/i}."

            mc "Why are you here?"

            abel "Would you like Sophia to provide you some relief?"

            mc "Why are you here?"

            abel "The third time is less charming, but I understand your desire to cut to the heart of matters."

            abel "I'm an overly familiar old man, but I do come bearing sound advice. I looked into you."

            mc "You're not the first, unfortunately..."

            abel "I am indeed the most thorough though, so I feel comfortable prescribing the following verdict."

            abel "{i}There is nothing remotely remarkable about you.{/i} You are shockingly unexceptional."

            mc "Thanks..."

            abel "At first, I thought it would be appropriate to toy with you, just as he has seen fit to do with my Sophia, but your connection to Charles is tenuous at best."

            abel "And even if you were his protégé, I doubt he would mind me sniffing around. Undoubtedly, he would find it an interesting note in {i}his{/i} story."

            mc "..."

            "What the fuck could I say to any of this? So I just kept my mouth shut and waited for him to further enlighten me."

            abel "No, I'm here talking to you for a less petty purpose. How much do you know about the people who now surround you?"

    mc "They're not the savory sort."

    abel "No one of consequence ever is, but do you know the specifics."

    mc "Just what I could find on the internet."

    abel "Ah, so nothing at all. It's good I'm here; you thankfully fall within my providence. There are two types of people in this world..."

    mct "(There's probably a lot more than two...)"

    abel "There are those who think nothing of killing a spider in their own home. They simply can't be bothered to do otherwise."

    abel "The other kind of person is the type who takes time to capture and release the spider safely, cognizant that a mere bug doesn't choose to encroach where it doesn't belong."

    mc "Are you saying I don't belong at the club?"

        abel "I think you are where you chose to be, [mcf]. You availed yourself of luck and opportunity."

        abel "I think you are where you chose to be, [mcf]."

    mc "Your analogy has me a little confused then."

    abel "You're out of your element, that's all. Not a big deal; people learn quickly. However, the timing is sometimes poor."

    abel "Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, but you remind me of a boy I once knew. As such, I want you to have a better understanding of your environment."

    mc "{b}Please{/b}, educate me."

    "What else could I say? Dr. Van Doren's motives aside, I wish he wasn't here, but it would be naïve to think I could make it through years at the Carnation Club without facing some obvious truths."

    mct "(That is... if he even tells me the truth. {i}Why the hell is he truly here{/i}?)"

    abel "Do you trust your bosses?"

    mc "One's a gangster, one's a bomb-making hedonist, and one of them is Kathleen Pulman; I trust them to have their best interests at heart, but that is true of most employer-employee relationships isn't it?"

    mc "Part of working for {i}anyone{/i} is becoming their best interest."

    abel "Now, I'm wondering what I'm even doing here. You have a good head on your shoulders."

    mc "For the record, at the moment, I trust you even less than Dr. Chuck."

    abel "Because of the present circumstances?"

        "Bingo. You think he's shady as fuck.":

            mc "No offense, but pretty much."

            mc "Plus, you're the head of a major pharmaceutical company, cavorting with pimps, refining a sex drug alongside your whore Nazi scientist."

            sophia "Nazi?!"

            mc "No offense Sophia, but being blonde, sharply dressed in black, and testing drugs on people without their consent does conjure up a specific image."

            abel "Ha, honesty! I like that!"

            mc "You claim you're here to be candid? I'll be blunt too."

            sophia "You have no idea who--"

            abel "Pffh, hahaha! Hahahaha! I'm REALLY starting to think I've wasted my time."

            mc "{b}Don't{/b}. Educate me about my environment and the people I work for."

            abel "Okay, let's start with the gangster. You undoubtedly have a vague impression of his character, but you don't know his specific crimes, do you?"

            mc "No, I don't."

        "It's just prudent.":

            mc "It's just a matter of fact. I have strong ties to Dr. Chuck; I grew up around him and he even advised my high school physics club."

            mc "He's not the man I thought I knew, but it's more substantial than..."

            abel "No, I understand."

            mc "Don't get me wrong; you saying I'm out of my element. You took some of your important time to be here. I'm confused, but I'll gladly listen."

            mc "Please educate me about my environment."

            abel "Okay, let's start with the gangster. You undoubtedly have a vague impression of his character, but you don't know his specific crimes, do you?"

            mc "No, I don't."

    abel "It's so easy to get lulled into a sense of security when you're only exposed to a particular side of a person. You may even chat comfortably with him."

    mc "Not too comfortably..."

    abel "You would do well to remember that the man is an extortionist at heart."

    abel "Loan sharking, protection rackets, insurance scams, gambling, prostitution. He's very much destroyed lives - not to mention... he's {b}killed{/b} people."

    mc "...*ahem*, yeah?"

    abel "Well, he's not a convicted murderer. He's a mere person of interest in four disappearances."

    mc "That can mean a lot of things."

    abel "Well whatever it means, he's undoubtedly a factor in a number of suicides. His business remains, as it has long been, one that ruins lives."

    ## New line

    mc "I wasn't... {i}unaware{/i} of that. I mean, well..."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "I knew he shot porn and he's obviously a pimp, but some of what you've said does paint a more intense picture."

    abel "Men like August who end up making it to a certain age often tend to purport themselves as being principled, but if you cut out the pretense, the only actual standards he upholds are the ones that benefits himself."

    abel "You don't ever want to unknowingly get in that kind of man's way."

    mc "...why would I? I keep my head down."

    abel "Because the difference between family and liability is a thin, flimsy thing to a gangster like him. You should take care not to ever give him even a bad reason."

    mc "I don't plan on it..."

    abel "By the way, have you ever wondered if he knew your mother?"

    mc "What?!"

    mc "That...!"

    "I shouldn't be shocked. The old woman dug up the same info, but..."

    mc "The thought hasn't crossed my mind."

    "...having a patron bring her up, for some nebulous purpose, enraged me to an even more infuriating degree."

    abel "How many videos did she shoot? How big do you think the porn industry of Moore Head Hills is?"

    mc "Big enough that I feel comfortable not entertaining that thought."

    abel "It's better not to know, I suppose. August aside, I can tell you who HAS killed people."

    mc "Warren?"

    abel "For one... that man is a menace."

    abel "It takes a lot to get kicked out of the kind of mercenary company that would take a piece of trash like him, but he's pulled it off multiple times - for the same company, no less."

    abel "A by-product of being good at your job, but his \"Sandman\" moniker wasn't given to him because he excelled at fighting. {b}No{/b}, it has more to do with why he's currently a wanted man, living out of your club."

    "......"

    "..."

    mct "(I guess no fucking surprise there, but...)"

    mc "...and what's he wanted for exactly?"

    abel "The man didn't leave his hobby of drugging prostitutes on foreign soil."

    mc "Christ... that... {i}fits{/i} my impression..."

    mc "Speaking of liabilities... {i}he's not?{/i}"

    abel "I said he was good at his job, didn't I?"

    mc "{i}Of watching cameras?{i}"

    abel "His job is to be capable in a pinch and his status as a wanted man makes him more reliable in that aspect."

    mc "His options are limited and you always know where to find him, huh?"

    abel "Precisely."

    mc "What about Jacob? He's not as nice as he seems, right?"

    abel "Why do you say that?"

    mc "I get the feeling he doesn't care for the job, but he's there nonetheless."

    abel "True. Warren's partner is more professional but he's a killer all the same. He got into trouble as a young man in Quebec that saw him flee the country."

    mc "What kind of trouble?"

    abel "A drunken assault. Nothing truly damning on his character in the grand scheme of things, but rather than face the music, he preferred leaving his home country - and what's a more storybook way of escaping your criminal past than joining the foreign legion?"

    mc "That seems pretty drastic."

    abel "Indeed. It's not the easiest route, either. You either have to be a romantic or sufficiently desperate."

    mc "Did he see combat?"

    abel "According to his record, yes. He was recognized for his valor even."

    abel "On paper, he's a commendable man, but after extending his contract a couple of times, he came to the states where he worked for various unsavory sorts."

    mc "...couldn't a man with his experience have landed more legitimate work?"

    abel "That's a good question. There are certainly companies that will overlook and vouch for those with questionable legal status, but that's not the direction he took."

    mc "What kind of jobs did he do?"

    abel "The high-risk kind, the sort you contract out so it doesn't lead back to you."

    mc "Oh..."

    abel "As you know, he now guards a brothel. Maybe he didn't take to his old work, or maybe this is just less risk and more steady pay for him."

    "I certainly understood the pay angle..."

    mc "Since you're naming sins, what about Dr. Kohler?"

    abel "He is the most interesting of the bunch, isn't he?"

    mc "Some of the girls made him sound scary, but he's just the money, right?"

    abel "He's everything you imagine him to be, but worse."

    abel "Charles Kohler made a fortune on war profiteering, bribery, falsification of documents, {b}state-sanctioned smuggling.{/b} He's done a lot for his country."

    mc "{i}State{/i}-sanctioned smuggling?!"

    abel "Yes. As a necessity, weapon manufacturers tend to have strong ties to the various alphabet agencies. Some more than others."

    abel "And your Dr. Chuck is indeed a true American hero and a self-made man - {b}he's also an irredeemable nihilist{/b} of the lowest order, but that's just my personal disdain coming through."

    mc "He worked for the government?"

    abel "He worked for himself."

    mct "(...he always just painted himself as a guy who lucked out that one of his designs worked and got picked up.)"

    abel "Truthfully, a man like Charles doesn't commit any sins that you can specifically point to. The importance and reach of his work affords him quite the umbrella."

    mc "...that really doesn't change anything for me."

    abel "Shouldn't it?"

    mc "Either way he was never the man I remembered, but this helps everything fit."

    abel "Glad to be of some service."

    mc "...can I be frank?"

    mc "Are you any better? You profit obscenely off the backs of sick people. {i}You lobby{/i}."

    abel "I serve a purpose that will merit no appreciable distinction from the likes of you."

    mc "{i}Riiiight{/i}... what about Kathleen? You neglected to mention her."

    abel "She has Charles' nasty disposition but none of his accomplishments. As you noted, you can count on her to act in her own best interests. The only problem is I don't think she knows what that is."

    mct "(He talks like he knows something...)"

    "It pisses me off."

    abel "She's harmless."

    mc "I'm sure some people would disagree with you on that."

    abel "Comparatively harmless."

    mc "...and all this is meant to caution me about my environment, because of a boy you used to know?"

    abel "You're young; you have your whole life ahead of you. You may even make something of yourself if you keep your head up and your eyes open."

    abel "Success is built upon and sustained by reading the wind and the changing tides. Nothing in this world lasts forever, from vaunted intuitions, to your favorite ice cream shop, and especially criminal enterprises."

    abel "Organizations like yours are prone to shakeups. Not saying anything will happen, but pay attention."

    abel "If you ever find yourself in a bind, give Sophia a call. You should have her personal number now."

    play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

    "Boop!"

    mc "What kind of bind would I find myself in?"

    abel "Perhaps the kind that would see your home bugged and surveilled. Do you know who lived here last?"

    mc "I do..."

    abel "Do you know about him? Well, whatever he did, I would avoid making that same mistake."

    mc "Be straight with me. You know something."

    abel "I'm only making an inference, but it's entirely possible that the listening device has been here for years. I just wanted to underline my point."

    sophia "It's a recent model. {b}A year old{/b}."

    abel "Is it? That's good to know."

    abel "We shall take our leave now. Sorry for the intrusion."

    mc "Wait...!"

    mc "Why are you {i}really{/i} here? This is all too vague and seemingly pointless. I'm having a hard time believing it's out of a sense of altruism."

    abel "I'm not like you, [mcf]. Nor am I like the men who surround you. I think about others all the time; it's a prerequisite of my calling."

    abel "Think about it: what could I {i}possibly{/i} get from a nobody like you?"

    abel "Makes no sense. Absolutely none at all."

    abel "This cost me nothing."

    "......"

    "..."

        sophia "Have a good afternoon, [mcf]."

    "They showed themselves out just as they had let themselves in, leaving me confused."

    "I hadn't learned anything I hadn't {i}known{i}. August was a piece of shit criminal, Chuck wasn't as I remembered him, and the two soldiers guarding the place had a body count."

    "None of that should surprise me, even if I tried not to think about it, but I felt disturbed and unsafe."

    mct "(I mean, fuck... I'm just a pre-med student from the suburbs.)"

    mc "What the hell was the deal with that bug?"

    "Was that {i}really{/i} the only one? Were there more? Did they plant it? Did they pretend it was here - no {i}why would they do that{/i}?"

    "It made no sense, but I knew the rest of my night would be spent researching how to detect listening devices. I wouldn't have peace of mind otherwise."

    mct "(Makes no sense, huh?)"

    "Dr. Van Doren's question repeated in my head."

    "What could he possibly get from a nobody like me?"

    mct "(God damn it, I don't like people coming and going as they please.)"

    play sound "sound effects/door-knock.wav"

    "*Knock, knock*"

    vic "[mcf]?"

    play music "music/night-on-the-docks-sax.ogg"

    $ date = "june15night"

    "What I did know is I didn't want to sleep in my apartment tonight. So tomorrow, I'd ensure I wasn't being spied on, but for now..."

    mc "Heeeeeeey. Fancy seeing you here."

    "The comfort of home."

        vic "Twice in so few days? That's--"

        vic "Hey, hun! What are you doing here?"

    mc "Dropping in unannounced is a family trait."

    vic "..."

    mc "Are you busy? Want to watch some movies?"

    vic "Are you ok- ah..."

    vic "{i}Always{/i}."

    "Don't ask."

    mc "Hey, say..."

    "Don't ask. Don't ask."

    mc "Do you know a..."

    "Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask."

    mc "Do you know an August Byrnes?"

    vic "Hmm...?"

    "WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU ASKING?!"

    "......"

    "..."

    "IF SHE DOES, YOU JUST EXPOSED--"

    vic "Is he a director? Has he done anything I've seen?"

    vic "O-oh, wwhaaa...?!"

    "Oh, thank God."

    "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

    mc "I'm going to cook you dinner tonight."

    vic "Ah, um... sure..."

    mc "What? Huh? This is all you have in the fridge? How are you staying healthy?!"

    "......"

    "..."

3.        Week3Up3

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    $ date = "june16day"

    play ambient "sound effects/cricket.wav"

    "...................................."

    "................................."

    ".............................."

    "..........................."

    "........................"

    "....................."

    "............"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/no7-alone-with-my-thoughts.ogg"

    mct "(That's new...)"

    "The early morning hours stretched thin, but I couldn't sleep."

    "Instead of staring at the inside of my eyelids, I counted sheep while looking up at my childhood room's painted ceiling."

    mct "(...why am I here?)"

    "I had been in that apartment for weeks."

    mct "(Even if there were listening devices, another night wouldn't have mattered...)"

    "But, the whole exchange with Dr. Van Doren was simply too odd and too clearly pointed for how mysterious it was."

    mc "Goddamn it..."

    "Quite frankly, it was unsettling."

    mct "(The last time I asked Ian about Darius I got nothing, but...)"

    "......"

    "..."

    mct "(...it's worth a shot.)"

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    "{i}It's at least an attempt at quieting my mind.{/i}"

    play ambient "sound effects/ringing-outbound.mp3"

    "Paying no mind to the hour, I gave my friend a call."

    "The phone rung, rung, and rung."

    "And just when I thought I would get a voicemail box--"

    kil "Heeeeeey, [mcf]!"

    "Ian answered the phone in an all-tellingly boisterous way."

    mc "Sheesh, volume control, man."

    "He was drunk."

    kil "Ah! What's up, dude?!"

    "I was growing less confident in the prospect of a productive conversation, but at the very least, Ian's voice was a nice reprieve from my scattered thoughts."

    mc "Two nights in a row? Do I need to stage an intervention?"

    kil "Ha! Hell no!"

    kil "Don't you know being drunk on a Tuesday is one of the perks of mooching off your family's fortune?"

    mc "At least you seem to be in a good mood."

    kil "What about you? You doing okay?"

    mc "Besides the obvious hour, what gave me away?"

    kil "I can tell by your tone that you're not feeling right, dude."

    mc "Come on... other than tired, I don't sound {i}particular{/i}, do I?"

    kil "Ha! You sound {i}friendly{/i}, but only in the way you get when you're stressed, pissed off, or looking for someone to commensurate with."

    mc "I think you mean {i}commiserate{/i}."

    kil "Eh? What the fuck did I say?"

    mc "Ahhh... but you're not wrong right now, so I'll just take my lumps like a good self-serving asshole."

    kil "Fuck it, man. I don't see it that way. There's nothing wrong with only calling when something's on your mind. We're not chicks!"

    kil "So, tell me what's crawled up your ass. I want to hear it."

    "He sounded like he genuinely meant that."

    mc "...I had a patron drop by the apartment yesterday evening. Abel Van Doren."

    kil "August already has you pulling dinosaur duty, huh? That's a drag."

    kil "Sometimes talking to those old fucks is like squeezing out that last turd that refuses to drop."

    mc "Colorful..."

    kil "It's like, stop dragging out the goddamn point, you know?"

    mc "I wasn't playing entertainer. He and Sophia came by unannounced, wanting to- ah... actually, to be honest, {b}I'm not sure what it was about.{/b}"

    kil "Damn, dude. You sound actually..."

    mc "{b}Yeah{/b}. I'm perturbed, because when I said they dropped by unannounced, I mean he {b}broke{/} the fuck into my home."

    kil "...you must mean he invited himself in like he owned the place?"

    mc "No, I mean he full-on broke in."

    mc "His aide gave me an hour's notice by phone to be there, he had some goons sweep my {i}very much{/i} locked place, and then sat comfortably waiting for me when I arrived home."

    kil "What the shit, dude?! Like... {i}why?{/i} Like why, in the absolute fuck, would he do that?"

    mc "That's why I can't sleep right now; I can't figure it out. He said he was there to offer me advice, but it was like he purposefully avoided saying anything valuable."

    kil "Bah, that's just how those assholes talk in my experience. I'd bet good money that when you're surrounded by people that kiss your ass and anticipate your every need, you don't spell anything out."

    kil "It's when they have to explain something to you bluntly that things are serious."

    mc "...is that how it is?"

    kil "Give me some credit. In matters like this, I'm your senior."

    mc "...maybe, but I don't think it was {i}nothing{/i}."

    kil "I want you to tell me everything you two talked about, but let me make some privacy first."

    mc "Wait! You're not alone?! You should've told me! We're talking about club shit!"

    kil "Relax, man. It's {i}just{/i} Alice, and it's not like you can make anything out so far from my end of this conversation."

    kil "I'll send her into the other room, then we can talk more about what's making you anxious and hopefully set you on the path to feeling better!"

    mc "I think I should probably just let you-"

    kil "No, seriously, dude. Let's talk; I know how you are. You'll just lie awake imagining the worst."

    kil "Let me be a friend right now."

    kil "Ah, shit. Hold on a second..."

    kil "{size=-10}I said keep your eyes on the fucking floor!{/size}"

    mct "(Uh...)"

    alice "You said my name, so I ju--"

    kil "Eyes down, shit-for-brains!"

    mc "Uh... I'm going to hang up now..."

    kil "Don't be hasty. It's not what it sounds like! We're just playing a game."

    kil "She's not very good at it, but I haven't figured out if that's on purpose or not."

    mc "That doesn't clear it up in the way you think it does..."

    kil "Hmmm... don't you remember when I'd get in trouble and she'd make me stand in the corner to think about what I'd done? It's like that!"

    "........."

    "......"

    mc "...and she's {i}actually{/i} into this?"

    kil "Yeah! The bitch is into being treated like this. Allow me to prove it..."

    kil "Tell [mcf] the truth. You're a nasty slut, aren't you?"

    alice "......"

    alice "..."

    "I honestly thought about cutting the call right here, but like passing a car wreck, Ian's viciousness had me momentarily ensnared."

    "I wanted to hear what the gracious and kindhearted woman, who I had known for most of my life, would say to his degrading question."

    kil "If you want me to fuck your old ass later, tell the truth."

    alice "...I'm a shameless woman."

    "Well, there I had it, further shattering my increasingly fucked up image of the woman I had long known."

    kil "...{b}and?{/b}"

    alice "I'm a shameless old woman addicted to young cock."

    mct "(Not that I had any right to judge another person's proclivities...)"

    kil "Do you hear that shit? Oh, man. {b}Older women.{/b} The more bored they are, the more twisted they get inside."

    kil "It's fucking beautiful. You wanna see?"

    "......"

    "..."

        "Show me.":

            alice "Maybe you shouldn't bring him into this, Ian. He's clearly uncomfortable with--"

            mc "Yeah... let me see."

            "Alice was one of the earliest positive female influences in my life. In a way, she filled the role that a friend's mother would. She took us to amusement parks, got us ice cream, and refereed our petty childhood disagreements..."

            "The dichotomy of seeing that maternal image naked, horny, and shamed filled me with an ugliness that I didn't have the energy to hide right now."

            mc "Put me on video."

            "If she's into it... {i}why should I pretend to be something I'm not, all when it doesn't cost me anything?{/i}"

            kil "I was already going to do that. Switching now~ feast your eyes on this pathetic slut!"

            alice "Ah, I-Ian--"

            kil "Stand up so my friend can get a better look at you! And don't try to hide your sagging tits!"

            "Like the professional he was, my friend's hand was steady, holding the camera out and allowing me to catch the masochistic woman scrambling to her feet faster than a dog at dinner time."

            "Alice's soft curves shook like gelatin from the abrupt change in position, and that pleasant jiggle continued as she struggled with the feeling coming back to her legs."

            mct "(Huh...)"

            alice "I, uhh-"

            mc "Can she see me?"

            alice "[mcf], I..."

            kil "Yep! You're basically looking right at each other!"

            mc "......"

            mc "...hello, Alice."

            alice "Ah, h-hey... [mcf]..."

            "The image of sweet Alice in dirty aprons and oversized sweaters was immediately erased from my mind, replaced by the audacious arrangement of pixels being beamed into my eyeballs."

            "What she had on didn't qualify as undergarments. The thin straps of her \"bra\" did nothing to hide her large, puffy areolae from view and gave little support to her tits' losing fight against gravity."

            "The decorative cut of her panties was lost in the dark black sheen of her pubic hair, with a pair of heels accentuating her hips' egregiously breedable curves."

            kil "Eh? Do you think you're on a first-name-basis, you fucking trash bag?"

            alice "Hnnngg... H-hello, s-sir."

            "A look of embarrassed excitement colored her wrinkled face, and in that moment, I believed Ian's claim that Alice was getting off on this."

            kil "So, what do you think? She looks nothing like you remember? Pathetic, right?"

            "Oh, {i}I had words{/i}."

                "She's even better than you remember.":

                    mc "She's... {i}lovely{/i}."

                    "Perhaps the contrarian in me wanted to deny sweet Alice the venomous appraisal she wanted and expected, but I also did mean my words."

                    mc "You were always so soft-spoken but firm. You were moderate, patient, and thoughtful. But this..."

                    alice "I, aah..?"

                    mc "I'm lucky to see this side of you, Alice."

                    alice "O-ohhh..."

                    kil "Ha, stop, dude! She looks more embarrassed than I've ever seen her and I've had my balls stuffed down her throat at a family friend's wedding!"

                    "As much as I thought it would, my image of Alice wasn't so much tarnished as it was renewed."

                    alice "T-thank you, sir. It's nice to see you all grown up as well..."

                    mc "How's Andrew? Did he finish his doctorate?"

                    "...but my sadism wasn't completely in check, as I brought up a question about her son."

                    alice "O-oh, u-uh..."

                "Agree with him. This woman is nothing like the one from your memory.":

                    mc "The Alice I remember once instructed us on good posture."

                    kil "That was when she helped us prep for a class presentation once, right? I was so nervous I let you do all the talking, haha!"

                    mc "You taught us that a good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind, Alice."

                    alice "...you remember my exact words?"

                    mc "It was an important lesson that I took to heart, which does prompt a question for you, Alice..."

                    alice "Yes, sir?"

                    mc "If you're going to act like a dirty whore, standing naked in front of two men you saw grow up, don't you think that you should take care to present yourself with the confidence of a whore?"

                    alice "I'm sorry if I'm not--"

                    mc "The Alice I knew was soft-spoken but firm. She was moderate, patient, and thoughtful. But this..."

                    kil "Bahaha! Fuck! Look at her squirm!"

                    mc "...all I'm looking at is a pig. Not a prize-winning one at that, either."

                    alice "...Ahh, hhaa..."

                    kil "Man, I wish you were here right now! We could correct her posture together!"

                    "As I watched Alice try to hide the delight in her expression, I couldn't help but feel the same; the world is truly filled with all kinds."

                    mc "How's Andrew? Did he finish his doctorate?"

                    alice "H-huhuhh...?"

                    "She seemed shocked by the sudden turn in the conversation."

            alice "H-he... he did."

            alice "He's in Indonesia right now, studying the Coconut Palm Beetle."

            mc "You must get lonely."

            alice "Sometimes, especially since David died, but... I keep {i}busy.{/i}"

            mc "That must be tough, but Andrew's got a lot to be proud of, huh. I bet that's double for you."

            alice "It is! I'm {i}exceedingly{/i} proud! How could I not be?"

            alice "Whenever I think about him, I feel so excited for him."

            kil "{size=-5}This is going off script...{/size}"

            mc "I'm glad to hear he's doing okay. He had a lot of good advice for me when I started college."

            mc "I still don't get his love of bugs, though..."

            alice "{i}Same.{/i}"

            mc "......."

            alice "..."

            mc "Alice, would you do me a favor?"

            "This had been a remarkable distraction, but I did want to talk to Ian about Darius."

            alice "...uh, s-sure. Anything, sir."

            "She looked uncertain. Caught between this friendly aside and the master/servant dynamic she was playing into."

                "Kindly send her away so you and Ian can talk in private.":

                    mc "Ian and I have something to talk about in private."

                    "Her gaze wandered off the phone's screen and to Ian, seeking instruction from her master."

                    kil "You heard him: {b}Go{/b}. Wait for me in the bedroom."

                    alice "Yes, sir!"

                "Not-so-kindly send her away.":

                    mc "{b}Now{/b}, Alice... would you mind getting your fat, disgusting ass out of here? Ian and I have something to talk about in private."

                    alice "I, aahhh.. uh..."

                    "Like the good masochistic pig she was, she looked to Ian for his permission."

                    kil "You heard him. Wait for me in the bedroom."

                    alice "Yes, sirs!"

            "Like that, she stumbled off, quickly disappearing from the camera's view while Ian and I gave it a moment before picking up where we left off."

            "......"

            "..."

        "You'll pass.":

            mc "I {i}really{/i} should leave you to it. I'm interrupting your fun."

            kil "No, no, no! Sorry, just let me send her to the bedroom."

            mc "Don't inconvenience Alice for my sa--"

            kil "She gets off on being inconvenienced. It's no biggie!"

            kil "{size=-5}Go wait in the bedroom, please.{/size} I need to speak to [mcf] in private."

            alice "Yes, sir!"

            "......"

            "..."

            kil "Okay, we got the room. So, tell me what the fuck that old dude wanted."

            "Ian truly was unique. He hadn't missed a beat amidst the ongoing circus."

            "......"

            "..."

    mc "*Sigh* You are something else."

        kil "To be honest, I'm surprised you agreed to that."

        mc "...I'm just as sick as you, buddy."

    kil "I like to think of it as... free therapy? Now, where were we?"

    mc "Alice can't hear us, right?"

    kil "We're safe. We're about as far apart as I can be without leaving the apartment."

    mc "*Sigh* Alright... so, where did I leave off?"

    kil "You were going to tell me what that ghoulish old fuck wanted."

    mc "Riiight... I've got a lot to unpack here, so listen up."

    "{i}I explained the situation to my friend.{/i}"

    "The contents of my and Abel's talk, the cryptic caution, the listening device, and how it possibly predated my tenancy."

    "He had many of the same questions as I did, which was a relief. It was proof that my anxiety over this wasn't an overreaction."

    "I mean {i}of course it wasn't{/i}, but my life had quickly become a series of outrageous events, so even the smallest affirmation helped make sure my calibration wasn't off. "

    kil "Yeah, I'd say that's a big {b}what the fuck!{/b} Like all of it."

    kil "Still, I wouldn't worry too much about being spied on. Who knows what the hell August used that place for in the past? He might've been keeping tabs on some girl or blackmailing some dirty rich fuck."

    mc "Yeeeeah... and it's not like anyone has a reason to spy on me."

    kil "Yeah, exactly... though maybe... and this is just a maybe... what if the club didn't place it there?"

    mc "I hadn't even thought about that. I was so focused on the idea it was the club's."

    kil "What if it was like the cops or something?"

    mc "I don't think it is. The club's got the cops taken care of, right?"

    kil "Either way, let's ask August or my uncle about it. It would be the most straightforward way of getting an answer."

    "......"

    "..."

        mc "It might be related to Mrs. Pulman."

        mc "It might be related to Kathleen."

    kil "How do 'ya figure?"

    mc "... because, according to the woman herself, Darius blackmailed her."

    kil "Eh? What the fuck are you talking about? {b}No, he didn't.{/b} Not a fucking chance."

    mc "I just know what she personally told me."

    mc "So, what if the club was spying on your friend? He lived here before me, right?"

    kil "H-he.. ah, he did, but... don't get me wrong, Darius was a dumb fuck druggie asshole, but he wasn't THAT dumb. What exactly did Kathy say?"

    mc "She said he blackmailed her, she paid him to save herself the embarrassment, and then he ran off with one of the house girls."

    "......"

    "..."

    kil "Ah... what the fuck. I don't know what to make of that, dude."

    kil "I really, {i}really{/i} don't."

    kil "A few months before he disappeared, he did fall stupidly head-over-heels for one of the house girls, but she split a month before Darius did."

    mc "That didn't seem weird to you?"

    kil "I didn't think anything of it. Girls come and go all the time."

        mc "I don't even want to think about it, but... Mrs. Pulman wouldn't have {i}done something{/i} to Darius, right?"

        mc "I don't even want to think about it, but... Kathleen wouldn't have {i}done something{/i} to him, right?"

    kil "{i}Something...?{/i} I have no fucking clue with that woman, but whether she paid him or dealt with him some other way, think about it for a second. Why would she tell {i}you{/i} about it?"

    mc "It makes absolutely no sense to me, either."

    kil "What was going on when she let something like that slip?"

    mc "She was fucking with me, you know how she is, talking about..."

    "...talking about speaking to my mother on the phone."

    kil "Maybe it was bullshit, then?"

    mc "That's a weird thing to bullshit about."

    kil "This whole thing is fucking weird, but maybe it's a test to see if you'd blather about it? New employee and all, you know? That kinda game is right up her alley."

    mc "...you think? That would make {i}some{/i} sense..."

    kil "I don't fucking know. Maybe, but then what about the bug? Unrelated?"

    "......"

    "..."

    kil "I really think we should tell my uncle. It's not okay for a patron to break into your apartment."

    mc "Isn't the customer always right?"

    kil "Fuck no! There are lines, and my uncle draws them."

    mc "Maybe, but I don't really know if I want to further put myself in the middle of whatever the fuck those two have going on."

    kil "You're already in the middle of it."

    mc "I'd feel better if I knew what \"it\" was before I did anything."

    kil "You can trust my uncle, but I'll leave it up to you to say anything."

    kil "Just know I have your back. Look no further if you want help turning over some rocks or just a place to sleep."

    mc "Thanks, man. I appreciate that."

    "......"

    "...I think I want to find out what happened to the last person who had my job."

    kil "Eh, you could just not think about it and go back to fucking whores."

    mc "Are you not worried about your friend?"

    kil "...I just don't think, assuming he did something stupid, that Darius would be dealt with in the way you're thinking."

    mc "What makes you so confident? August, Warren, even Jacob... they're..."

    kil "Even if August or Kathleen wanted to, Uncle Chuck wouldn't allow it."

    mc "I'm not so sure of that, dude."

    kil "{b}I am{/b}. Here's the thing: my uncle calls the shots and wouldn't get his hands dirty that way."

    mc "...and what would he do if someone who worked for him betrayed and blackmailed him?"

    kil "...there'd be so much blowback that his own family would wish he was dead?"

    mc "Jesus Christ!"

    kil "Aaahk, that sounded worse than it is!"

    kil "All I'm saying is he wouldn't use violence; he's not the type. I'm one hundred percent certain of that."

    kil "With money, there's a lot of {i}legal{/i} ways you can punish someone."

    mc "...uh, do you think that sounds any better?"

    "......"

    kil "I mean... {i}yeah?{/i}"

    "..."

    mc "Ha! What is wrong with me? We're talking about the possibility of one of my bosses disappearing someone and I'm not flipping out."

    kil "That's because all Darius did was run off like the flaky prick he was, Kathleen's just fucking with you, and you're just being your usual worrying self. I'd be much more irked about that old fuck not respecting boundaries."

    kil "I wouldn't even try to understand that changing tide shit; why those vampires do anything only makes sense to them. I'd just make sure it didn't happen again."

    mc "You might be right... after all, at the end of the day, maybe he really thought he was being charitable..."

    kil "Yeah, look at August and Hana. Guy's trying to pretend he's not a piece of shit father all of a sudden."

    kil "I think something clicks in your brain when you get old and you pretend you can white out all the horrible shit you've done."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "...first, I think I just want to be comfortable with where I will be putting my head for the foreseeable future."

    kil "I got you, man. I'll drop by your mom's tomorrow; you google how to search for bugs. We'll make an afternoon of it. "

    mc "...ha, yeah, I'd actually appreciate it."

    kil "Maybe we'll even hatch a plan to prove Darius is just an ass hat. Of course, nothing's happened, but... {i}it would be nice to know for sure.{/i}"

    "Sounded like Killian liked Darius more than he let on."

    mc "Yeah. We'll be a banger pair of detectives. A real Mutt and Jeff."

    kil "I'll play Riggs, you can be Murtaugh."

    mc "I'm comfortable with that..."

    mck "Bahaha...!"

    mc "Yelling at an old woman aside, thanks for the laugh, Ian."

        kil "Wasn't that part of the laughs? You seemed to enjoy it."

            "There is a certain appeal you won't deny.":

                mc "Well, I'm going to stop pretending I don't get the appeal."

                kil "Oooooh, you must really be shaken if you're not even going to bother putting on airs about it."

                mc "My brain doesn't want to get it, but my dick sure does. That woman helped raise you, and you..."

                kil "...know how to have a {i}good{/i} time."

                mc "You like Alice, don't you?"

                kil "{b}Fuck no{/b}. That whore was only around because my mom paid her, and now she's only clinging to me to get her kicks."

            "You simply love watching Ian work.":

                mc "What can I say? You have a way with women that's interesting to watch."

                kil "Ha! Yeah, I have a real charming personality, huh?"

                mc "That or something's in the water around here."

                kil "It's just people aren't as complicated as they think they are. She was only around because my mom paid her, and now she's barking up my tree to get her kicks."

                mc "Don't act like you don't like Alice, dude."

                kil "Fuck no, she's a whore."

            "It was sheer curiosity.":

                mc "...it was hard to look away."

                kil "It was my raw magnetism, right?"

                mc "It was like a Giallo. Hard to comprehend and gruesome, but you watch it anyway."

                kil "You're saying I've got style?"

                mc "...be honest with me... you like Alice, don't you?"

                kil "{b}Fuck no{/b}. That whore was only around because my mom paid her, and now she's only clinging to me to get her rocks off."

            kil "Yeeeah... sorry about trying to drag you into that. I should've known it made you uncomfortable."

            mct "(That's surprisingly reflective of him...)"

            kil "Yeah, my bad. I should've known you'd be a square about it."

        mc "...you like Alice, don't you?"

        kil "{b}Fuck no{/b}. That whore was only around because my mom paid her, and now she's only clinging to me to get her rocks off."

    mc "Really? I like Alice."

    kil "...yeah, okay."

    kil "She's alright. It was better to have her around growing up than not. Although, maybe..."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "You can say it."

        kil "Sometimes I wonder if my parents would've tried a bit harder if they couldn't have shoveled the responsibility onto someone else."

        mc "That's not her fault."

        kil "I know, but... it doesn't make bullying her any less fun. Speaking of which..."

        kil "Nothing. Just a dumb thought that's not worth voicing. I've got a lot of those, y'know?"

        mc "Well, then... I should leave you to your dumb thoughts."

    kil "Will you be able to fall asleep?"

    mc "Probably not, but you should go reward Alice for putting up with you. So, see you tomorrow?"

        kil "You knoooooow.... {i}we don't have to get off the phone just because of that.{/i}"

        kil "Could be fun."

        mc "....."

        mc "..."

            "{color=#FF1493}\[Bromance]{/color} It would be fun." if Killian_Bromance >= 20:

                mc "I wouldn't want to intrude."

                kil "Alice and I would both enjoy having you watch."

                mc "Well, if you're going to beg me like this..."

                kil "Ah, y-yeah? Ha! Fuck yes!"

                mc "Don't be so excited, it's we--"

                mct "(...he's moving faster than---)"

            "{color=#FF1493}\[Voyeur]{/color} You do like to watch..." if history_voyeur == True:

                mc "...sure, alright?"

                kil "W-what? For real? That easy? No-"

                mc "You're rubbing off on me, pal."

                kil "Ah, y-yeah? Ha! Fuck yes!"

                mc "Don't be so excited, it's we--"

                mct "(...he's moving faster than---)"

            "Once was enough for you." if w3HanaDP <=3 and w3MinaHotelFucked == False:

                mc "Thanks for the offer, but once was enough for me."

                kil "Yeeeeah, I figured, but it's polite to ask."

                mc "Pfft, yeah, right. Night man."

                kil "Good night!"

                play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

                "Ahhhh..."

                "I took a deep breath to clear my head and center myself. To my pleasant surprise, it worked."

                "My words to Ian were honest; our conversation made me feel better."

                mct "(Maybe I {i}can{/i} sleep.)"

            "You have other ways of spending your sleepless hours." if w3HanaDP >=4 or w3MinaHotelFucked == True:

                mc "Thanks for the offer, but once was enough for me."

                "Plus, there was someone a lot cuter that I wanted to call."

                kil "Yeeeeah, I figured, but it's polite to ask."

                mc "Pfft, yeah, right. Night man."

                kil "Good night!"

                play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

                "*Beep!*"

            "{color=#696969}\[Bromance] It would be fun.{/color}" if Killian_Bromance <= 19:

            "{color=#696969}\[Voyeur] You do like to watch...{/color}" if history_voyeur == False:

        kil "Ha! You bet! See you tomorrow!"

        "*Beep!*"

        play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

            "Ahhhh..."

            "I took a deep breath to clear my head and center myself. To my pleasant surprise, it worked."

            "My words to Ian were honest; our conversation made me feel better."

            mct "(Maybe I {i}can{/i} sleep.)"

    "......"

    "..."

    "I took a deep breath to clear my head and center myself. To my pleasant surprise, it worked."

    "My words to Ian were honest; our conversation made me feel better, but..."

    mc "*Sigh* It's late..."

        "I remembered I told Mina I'd give her a call."

            mct "(Plus, there was Hana. It hadn't even been a full day, but I felt like speaking to her.)"

        mct "(Should I call Hana...?)"

        "It hadn't even been a full day, but I felt like speaking to her."

    "...so, should I?"

        "Call Hana." if w3HanaDP >=4:

            "Fuck it. She'll be cool with it."

            play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

                "...and, if she's not, it's not like she has many dateable options."

                "If she doesn't want late-night calls, she should rethink this fuck buddy thing."

            "......"

            "..."

        "Call Mina." if w3MinaHotelFucked == True:

            "{i}I did tell her I'd call.{/i}"

            play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

            "I'm a real Chatty Cathy today..."

            "............"

            "........."

            "......"

            "..."

        "Fucking someone doesn't mean you can call them in the dead of morning.":

            mct "(Naaaaah.)"

            "Why ruin someone else's night of sleep because of my own?"

            mct "(I'll just try and get to sleep.)"

        "{color=#696969}\[Hana] Call your goth lover.{/color}" if w3HanaDP <=3:

        "{color=#696969}\[Mina] Call the bubbly blonde.{/color}" if w3MinaHotelFucked == False:

    play music "music/stoned.ogg"

        hana "'sup, boyfriend."

        hana "Heeeeey, [mcf]."

    mc "Oh good, it sounds like I didn't wake you."

    hana "Yep, burning the midnight oil. Have you ever seen a movie called {i}The Machine Girl{/i}?"

    mc "Can't say that I have."

    hana "Ha, it's fucking crazy! I'm in the middle of watching it."

    mc "Give me the rundown."

    hana "A Japanese schoolgirl's younger brother is killed and she takes revenge on the bullies who did it."

    hana "Along the way, she replaces her arm with a machine gun and goes head-to-head with a Ninja-Yakuza family."

    mc "Sounds like my kind of movie."

    hana "Yeah, it's excellent! {i}A lot of splatter!{/i}"

    hana "Hell, there's a scene where the main character's arm gets coated in tempura batter and deep-fried! Like, what the fuck? I was laughing my ass off."

    mc "Show it to me sometime. I'd love to see it."

    hana "Yeeeah, you bet! So, what's up? Booty call?"

        "You missed her voice.":

            mc "I was just lying here and realized I missed your voice."

            hana "...you just come out and say stuff like that, huh?"

            mc "Too clingy?"

            hana "Hell no. You should say what you feel, for example... I'm... {i}happy you called{/i}."

            mc "Missing me already?"

            hana "Hehe, no. Just {b}happy you called.{/b}"

        "Playfully chide her over the idea.":

            mc "Why do you immediately jump to sex? What happened to romance?"

            hana "Romance goes to bed by 1 AM."

            mc "Sorry to disappoint you. This isn't a booty call."

            hana "Really? Oh well, I guess I'll live."

    mc "How was your day?"

    hana "Above average. As you know, I woke up in a good mood."

    mc "Go on..."

    hana "You may or may not have played a part in that."

    mc "Go on, go on..."

    hana "After we ate, I went home, got grilled by my mom, grabbed a biiiiig lunch with Jerrica and Spider, and put in a killer effort at the gym."

    mc "You work out?"

    hana "Oh, god. Such a guy thing to say."

    hana "Do you think I look as good as I do naturally? It takes a lot of work."

    mc "Well, thank you for your hard work."

    hana "I don't do it for you, asshole."

    mc "You didn't then, but how about now?"

    hana "We'll see, but if you want to keep my tight ass, you must keep things interesting for me."

    mc "That right...?"

    "Suddenly, I felt {b}horny.{/b}"

    mc "What are you wearing?"

        hana "Oh...? We're fucking doing {b}this{/b}, huh?"

    mct "(Well, I do know what might put me to sleep...)"

        mc "I'm just a curious guy, wondering what my girlfriend is wearing."

        hana "Well, you called me in the middle of the night, as I was going to bed, so about the usual..."

        hana "{b}...nothing but a smile and an old pair of 7-inch {i}fuck me{/i} heels."

        hana "What about you, boyfriend?"

        mc "I'm just a curious guy, wondering what you're wearing."

        hana "Well, you called me in the middle of the night, as I was going to bed, so about the usual..."

        hana "{b}...nothing but a smile and an old pair of 7-inch {i}fuck me{/i} heels."

        hana "What about you, [mcf]?"

    mc "Holy shit, I can't believe it. I'm wearing the same."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "I'm having trouble sleeping, babe."

    hana "Mmmmhh~ Oh, poor baby. Let Hana help with that..."

    "Her voice dropped an octave, taking on an unusually sweet note of indulgence."

    hana "If ONLY I was there..."

    "Her words then dwindled into a thick whisper, trailing off and allowing my imagination to fill in the gaps."

    mc "Yeah? What would you do to me?"

    "But it wasn't my imagination I was interested in. I wanted the vivid details straight from Hana's lips."

    hana "I'll do you one better than that. I can tell you what I promise I'll do to you the next time we see each other..."

    "She teased me with another pregnant pause, full of meaning and more tantalizing than the last."

    mc "Don't let me die here, beautiful. I'm waiting."

    mct "(Was every woman that surrounded me a born succubus?)"

    hana "Mmmhhh... How hard are you right now?"

        "Be truthful.":

            mc "About halfway there and getting harder by the syllable. You've got a real enchanting voice, you know that?"

            hana "That's the horny talking."

            mc "Take me there, Hana. Tell me what you're going to do to me."

            hana "MMmhhh... Next time I see you, no matter where we are, I'm going to get down on my knees and blow you."

        "Don't just be passive. Mix in your own dirty talk.":

            mc "You should have a pretty good idea. How hard was it when I buried all eight inches inside your cunt Sunday night?"

            hana "It doesn't take much to get you going."

            mc "It's all you, Hana. I'm hard for {b}you{/b}."

            hana "Haaa- Then, you better have that same enthusiasm the next time I see you. Because no matter where we are, I will get down on my knees and blow you."

    mc "Anywhere...?"

    hana "{b}Wherever{/b}. No matter if it's at your place, the club, or even a restaurant bathroom... nothing's gonna stop me until I'm satisfied and I suck out all your children."

    mc "You're just saying that to get me off..."

    hana "No bullshit, just a promise. I'm going to taste EVERY inch of you."

    hana "I'll lick your balls, I'll clean the underside of your shaft with my tongue, and I'll strangle your cock so hard with my tight throat that we might just end up with a medical emergency on our hands."

    mc "Baha, what? Holy shit! Where's this coming from...?"

    hana "Mmmhh... The other night~"

    hana "Don't get me wrong, Sunday was wonderful, but you stopped dicking down my face too soon."

    hana "I meeeean, you barely scuffed my makeup, [mcf], even after I asked you {i}nicely{/i} to {b}really{/b} let me have it."

    mc "Ahh, f-fuck...!"

    "She knew how to appeal to the animal in me."

    hana "...how hard are you right now?"

        "Be truthful.":

            mc "So hard that it hurts."

            hana "Are you stroking yourself?"

            mc "Ahh, y-yeah...! You know I am."

            hana "Good, I'm touching myself too right now - ahhh..."

            hana "I'm touching myself to the thought of what you'd do to me, [mcf]. Aahhh... Tell me what you're going to do to me!"

        "Be truthfully truthful.":

            mc "So hard that the only thing that eases the pain is the image of your snot, spittle, and runny makeup rolling down your face as I shoot a fat load down your throat."

            hana "W-woahh... ahh.... Ehaha... you're feeling it bad, huh? You're stroking yourself, right?"

            mc "Aahhaa...! You know EXACTLY what you're doing to me, slut."

            hana "Good! I'm touching myself too... Tell me what you will to do to me, [mcf]!"

    mct "(What would I do...?)"

    "It was so much easier when she was the one talking..."

    hana "My fingers are spreading my pretty pink pussy for you..."

    "As the possibilities pooled in my head, trying to fish out the answer proved difficult."

    hana "I'm playing with myself thinking of you, [mcf]. Come on..."

    "Hana kept her tone sultry, but tiny, delectable cracks formed in her persona."

    hana "You and your giant, delicious cock..."

        hana "I'm waiting... tell me, boyfriend..."

        hana "I'm waiting. {b}Tell me.{/b}"

    "Spread out in the pitch-black darkness, those small imperfections become my sole focus, making me forget all about yesterday."

    hana "What would you do if I was there right now...? How would you fuck me?"

    "I hung on Hana's every word, gratified by the way her enunciation would subtly falter while she coaxed herself into a state of arousal."

    hana "Gh- Mmmhhhmmhhm~ [mcf]..."

    "I was absorbed in how she masked her sighs with more ear-pleasing, lyric-like purring."

    mct "(Ah- ahh, f-fuck...!)"

    "She's waiting..."

    mc "What would I do after you've \"sucked me for all I'm worth\", you mean? It's simple."

    mc "I'd give you a long, deep kiss worthy of your oral devotion."

    hana "A kiss...? That's what you-"

        "Make it (gross and) lewd.":

            mc "I would taste myself on your lips and the inside of your mouth, relishing that a part of me is coating the inside of your esophagus."

            hana "Ooofh, y-yeah?"

            mc "Your mouth would reek of me, my semen clinging to your throat, but I wouldn't mind because it's not just me I'm tasting or smelling."

            hana "[mcf]... that's... {i}wow...{/i}"

            mc "What can I say? You do funny things to me."

            mc "It's the result of your care and attention, and proof of how much of a good cock-sucking bitch you are."

            hana "Haha, gross, but aah... But I did a good job~ I guess I would deserve a kiss..."

            mc "Exactly. A dirty, messy, sloppy, {b}disgusting{/b} kiss and then..."

        "Describe it passionately.":

            mc "You know the kind of kiss I mean. The kind I gave you when we were on the karaoke room floor, full of promise of what's to come. "

            hana "..ehehe, and what's to {i}cum{/i}, [mcf]? You? Me?"

            mc "Shut up. I'm doing my best here."

            hana "Sorry, sorry... {i}I'm into it.{/i} Go on..."

            mc "I'd press {b}hard{/b} into you, towering over you. All you'd see is my face and those broad shoulders you like, but you'd feel my burning cock curve and bend flat against your stomach."

            hana "Oooh, I'm picturing it now."

            mc "We'd lose track of the time. My hands would trace up your ribcage, circle around your fat tits, snake past your clavicle, and..."

    hana "Mmmhh And then what...?"

        "You'll take her breath away.":

            mc "You'd feel my grip on your neck. Not enough to hurt, but to control and slowly bring your breathing to a crawl."

            hana "Ah, hhhaaa- Fuck yeah!"

            mc "Your head will be pounding, blood will congest in your brain, and you'll feel lightheaded. "

            hana "Mmmhh~ [mcf]...!"

            mc "Every breath you take will be at my discretion. You'll be so turned on that any puff of air I allow you will be a precious thing to savor."

            hana "Ah, fuck, ha! How did you know?"

            mc "Whenever I sparingly loosen my grip on your throat, the euphoria of oxygen returning to the brain will hit you like a freight train."

            hana "Fuck me, we should try this..."

        "You'll strip her bare.":

            mc "No matter where we are, I'd strip you completely naked. {b}Down to your toes.{/b}"

            mc "Maybe we're just in my apartment and it's no big deal."

            hana "Mmmhh, maybe..."

            mc "Maybe we'll be at the club and you'll just be dressed for your part."

            hana "Baha! Mmmh, f-fuck you...! Keep talking!"

    mc "Gaaah, hhhhaaa... Hana. Do you hear that?"

    "*Fwap, chwap, fap!*"

    "I went silent, picking up the pace, hoping the lewd sounds of hand-on-dick contact would reach her."

    hana "Haa, yeah, I hear it..."

    mc "Good. I'm jackhammering my cock so hard to that thought of you that it hurts."

    "*Fap, fap, fap!*"

    hana "I love that sound! Hehe, we should include it in one of our songs~"

    mc "O-ohh, hhngg... I'm getting close!"

    hana "Not yet... haa, hhhaa... Don't blow yet! Tell me how you'd fuck me as you cum!"

    "I wasn't going to stop, so I had to find the words quickly. "

        "You'll fuck her slow and deep.":

            mc "I'd take it slow, fucking you deeply."

            hana "Haahh, yyeeahh-?"

            mc "Slow enough that you'll feel every inch of me enter you and every thrust would be a memory fucked into your brain."

            hana "Hnngg, I f-feel it..."

            mc "I'd pull out slowly and then push in as far as you could take me."

            hana "I feel you [mcf]...♥♥ Mmmhh, yes! I'd wrap my legs around you, pushing you even deeper!"

            hana "Uuugh, I'd hold you tight, begging you to go faster-♥♥♥ Hggg- M-making you go faster!"

            hana "You won't escape me until you give me everything! Ah... cum for me, [mcf]! Go ahead and--"

            mc "H-Hana, I'm--"

        "You'll fuck her fast and hard.":

            mc "How else do you think I'll fuck you? You're not the type to hide how you like it; I'd push your face into the fucking ground!"

            hana "Haa, hhaa... Keep going-"

            mc "I'd spank your ass, pull your hair, and pound away. No rhythm, no thought, no... we'd just rut."

            hana "Keep going, k-keep going..."

            mc "The sound would be something else! Ball slapping, skin-on-skin... anyone who passed by would know exactly what we were doing."

            hana "[mcf]... [mcf]...♥♥"

            mc "You'd be moaning my name just like that. I'd grunt, eyes rolled into the back of my head, calling out yours- hhaa, hhnna..."

            hana "Mmhh, hhaa- [mcf]♥♥♥"

            mc "H-hana, I'm--"

        hana "{b}Explode for me{/b}, boyfriend."

        hana "{b}Explode for me{/b}, lover."

    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

    "I didn't give much thought to the mess; I just let myself explode all over my old bedroom."

    mc "Mmmh-"

    "Not like it was the first time I'd jacked off in here."

    "......"

    "..."

    hana "Sounds like you had a nice finish. Did Hana make you feel better?"

    mc "You're the best. I think I'm going to sleep like a baby."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    hana "You're not wrong about the first part. That was... {i}fun{/i}."

    hana "I've never had phone sex before. I figured it would be a lot more embarrassing than it was."

    mc "Maybe you're just shameless."

    hana "That's a real possibility, but I'd be in good fucking company."

    mc "Heh, come to think of it, that was my first time too."

    mc "I mean, why would you ever do it over the phone unless you're in a long-distance relationship?"

    hana "You're the one who started it, so you tell me."

    mc "I didn't plan on it when I called. I'm actually sleeping at my mom's house right now."

    hana "How come? What's up?"

    mc "It's a long story. One that I'll tell you about later."

    hana "Alright... you want me to stay on the phone until you fall asleep?"

    mc "That won't be necessary. Heh, you've done enough for me..."

    "For a few minutes, we continued our small talk until it had all run out, leaving us with nothing much to say."

    "We fumbled to find conversational threads, not wanting to get off the phone, but our brief chat had run its natural course and I felt my eyes getting heavy."

    mc "So, uh, yeah... I'll talk to you later?"

    hana "There's a good chance you'll hear from me again."

    mc "Heh, I feel bad getting off the phone so soon after-"

    hana "Pssh, what do you take me for? I know you need your beauty rest."

    hana "In fact, you made my night interesting."

    mc "...was it good for you?"

    hana "Ha! I hate this lingering-around feeling, so I'm hanging up now."

        hana "Get a good night's sleep, boyfriend."

        hana "Get a good night's sleep, [mcf]."

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    mct "(Heh.)"

    "......"

    "..."

    mct "(I will.)"

    "...after I clean up my cum."

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "Mmhh... wwwahha...? Heeeeeeyyyy...!"

    "Just before the final ring sent me to voice mail, a sleepy Mina broke through with a sloppy and slurred salutation."

        "Make a joke. Tell her you couldn't sleep.":

            mc "Yes, hello, I'd like to order one cutie, please."

            mina "............"

            mina "........."

            mina "......"

            play music "music/inner-light.ogg"

            mina "...is a woman's beauty sleep a joke to you, [mcf]?"

            mc "I think you're beautiful no matter how much sleep you've had."

            "......"

            "..."

        "Start by apologizing for not calling her earlier.":

            mc "Heeeeey, guess what asshole said they'd call you yesterday and then didn't?"

            mc "I hope waking you up in the middle of the night conveys my sincere apologies. I just couldn't wait, you know?"

            mina "............"

            mina "........."

            mina "......"

            play music "music/inner-light.ogg"

            mina "Heh, mmmhmhhhh..... hehe... it's cool. Not hearing from you did make me a little anxious, but I knew I was being stupid."

    mina "Yaaaaaawwwhhhhnn, mmmh... what time is it?"

    mc "A little past two in the morning."

    mina "Is everything alright?"

    mc "I couldn't sleep."

    mina "...so you thought I shouldn't either?"

    mc "...sorry about that."

    mina "Ah, crud. Me too. I sounded more peeved than I wanted to."

    mc "It's 2 AM. I woke you up... I get it."

    mina "I'm happy that you called. It means that I'm on your mind."

    mc "How could you not be?"

    mina "Heh, flattery isn't the worst way to wake up, either."

    mc "Do you ever get sick of being complimented? You must get a lot of it. "

    mina "It depends on who's giving it and the why... right now, mmmhhh..."

    mina "Was your apartment okay?"

    mc "My apartment, what do...? Aaaaaaaah, {i}yeah.{/i}"

    "My half-assed excuse for splitting on her."

    mc "Everything was fine. The water didn't get in."

    mina "That's good... why can't you sleep then? Are you not tired after {i}today?{/i}"

    mc "The answer to that is quite simple and really stupid. {b}I had a nap.{/b}"

    mina "Pffhhh- wwwwh... the nappy wappy did it?"

    mc "If you really think about it, it's all your fault."

    mina "Oooooh? How did you figure, [mcf]?"

    mc "Just sayin'... I didn't tucker myself out on my own."

    mina "And what do you want me to do about it?"

    mc "Good question. Do you know anything that might help me sleep?"

    mina "Have you tried counting sheep?"

    mc "I tried, but I lost count."

    mina "How about you warm up a glass of milk?"

    mc "Milk after my \"nappy wappy?\" That would complete the package."

    mina "Hmmm, alright..."

    mina "Let's just have a long-distance sleepover!"

    mc "What does that entail? Should I go get some chocolate and marshmallows?"

    mina "That's a campout. You don't have s'mores at a sleepover."

    mc "Okay, what does a sleepover involve?"

    mina "It's simple. We'll just chat, chat, chat until one of us falls asleep."

    mc "Do we just hang up if one of us falls asleep?"

    mina "...no. You got to listen to the other person snooze."

    "......"

    "..."

    mina "I hope that doesn't sound stupid."

    mc "Sounds perfect to me."

    mina "{b}Good{/b}... the idea kinda reminds me of when I was in middle school and I'd stay up past my bedtime talking to my best friend at the time. Life was simpler back then..."

    mc "You and I are both too young to say things like that."

    mina "Speaking of youth, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. What was your favorite cartoon growing up? And don't pretend like you don't have one."

    mc "It's going to be one of those kind of chats?"

    mina "You're the one who called me in the middle of the night, so I get to pick the topic. Deal with it."

    "So it was, we opined nostalgically. Talking about the things we used to enjoy, filling in the blanks for each other about what helped turn us into the messes we are."

    "It turned out I was the first casualty. Somewhere discussing the proper procedure of pouring milk into a bowl of cereal and if said cereal was considered a salad or a stew."

    "When I awoke the next morning, there was no Mina on the line, sleeping or not. The little liar broke her own rule, not that I blame her."

    "{i}Who would want to listen to someone sleep?{/i}"

    kil "Good news, cow! [mcf] wants to watch me pound you stupid!"

    play music "music/as-i-figure.ogg"

    alice "W-watch...? Uh, b-but..."

    "In no time at all, my friend had me back on a video call and pointed at the bewildered maid."

    mc "Hello again, Alice."

    "...I awkwardly called out through the divide of Ian's phone screen."

    alice "...ah, h-hey again..."

    kil "Why are you just sitting there with a dumber look than usual on your face? Didn't you hear what I said?"

    alice "You said [mcf]'s going to watch..."

    kil "That's right. He can't sleep and your sorry ass is going to be his entertainment."

    alice "......"

    "I wasn't entirely sure where Alice ended and where her character in this rehearsed play started, but the embarrassment and shame written on Alice's face made for an enticing image."

    alice "...anything you want, Ian."

    kil "{i}I{/i} want...? Oh no, no, no, no, no, no."

    kil "Look at me."

    kil "You did this the last time I involved someone else in your training. You played coy and tried to hide just how much of a slut you happily are."

    kil "That act has its charms, but that's not going to cut it tonight. [mcf]'s special. I want him to see your {b}real{/b} face."

    alice "That's... uh... a l-little-"

    kil "{b}Answer me.{/b}"

    kil "Who knows you better than I do?"

    alice "...uh, n-no one?"

    kil "That's right. We've known each other my whole life and I've seen every side of you, Alice."

    kil "I've seen the good, the bad, the sad, and even the parts that you're too afraid to show anybody else."

    alice "You're so obnoxious..."

    kil "{b}Look at me{/b}, slut."

    alice "Hnnggg..."

    kil "I've got the complete picture of Alice Mendoza. {b}It's mine.{/b}"

    alice "Mmmmhh...."

    play ambient "sound effects/fel3.wav"

    mct "(Um... did they forget I was here?)"

    kil "But what do you do with a picture you cherish, Alice? Do you lock it away in a scrapbook and forget about it? Or do you frame it proudly and show it off?"

    kil "Let's widen the circle of people who know you tonight. If there's anyone else who can see and accept you like I do, it's [mcf]."

    alice "Hmmm, ehhuuhh-♥♥"

    "My friend had the stalwart woman eating out of the plam of his hand."

    kil "He's got everything you want. He's young, got a big cock..."

    "Something in his words triggered Alice."

    alice "*Slurp, chwuuup~* Mmhh...♥♥♥"

    kil "Most importantly, {b}you know him{/b}. He's not going to judge you."

    mct "(Was it me or...)"

    "Right now, on my tiny screen, Alice looked different."

    kil "You can be yourself.."

    "She looked younger."

    kil "You can let go."

    "She looked..."

    alice "Mmhh, mmmh, ehhuuu-"

    alice "W-waohhh- ahh-ahh..."

    alice "P-please let me suck your cock!"

    "...{i}lewd.{/i}"

    "The older woman fell at my friend's feet, absorbed in a cock-hungry daze."

    kil "There it is. That's the Alice I wanted to see."

    kil "You getting a good look at this?"

    mc "Yeah, I'm seeing her..."

    kil "She changed her tone real quick. She was stiff as a board with Amber, but this..."

    play music "music/hypnosis.ogg"

    kil "Isn't this her best look? Fifty-five years of life and she's elated to have the balls of the man she raised on her chin."

    "I could tell from the enthusiasm in his words that Ian was relishing showing her off to me."

    kil "What. A. Fucked. Up. Bitch."

    alice "C-can I...?"

    "He was proud of his work."

    kil "Nope! Get your fat ass on the bed!"

    kil "I told you from the beginning how this was going to play."

    "In short order, my friend had his nanny bent over the bed, the three of us face-to-face-to-face."

    alice "Ah, uh... this is new to me. I apologize if-"

    mc "...don't hide it, Alice."

    kil "She getting my good side, bro?"

    mc "Yeah, you look like a million bucks."

    kil "Awesome. Watch her expression as I put it in."

    "Wasting no time, he made good on the claim and..."

    alice "--"

    kil "Cute, right?"

    kil "This right here is the hag's best feature."

    mc "Are you trying to sell me a car?"

    kil "She might not look like much, but when you get her ass up like this..."

    play sound "sound effects/slap3.wav"

    alice "Ah! O-ohh..."

    kil "She's more attractive than a woman half her age."

    "It was difficult to disagree. From this limited angle, the maid's ass loomed like a mountain and towered with the majesty of years of robust living."

    alice "Hnhhhg... I-Ian, you talk too much..."

    mc "He's over-compensating for years of shyness."

    alice "Heh... mayb-"

    alice "Ah, haahaa-"

    "Ian gently rolled his hips, catching Alice off guard and getting us back to the task at hand."

    kil "Now, watch it in motion!"

    play music "music/six-days-of-heat-pt2.ogg"

    "I did as he asked, my perverse curiosity from earlier still burning as strong as ever as I watched Alice's ass endure impact after impact of my friend's swinging hips."

    kil "Ha! You being here is better than any foreplay. This greedy cunt is already swallowing me whole!"

    "Each collision sent Alice's rear-end shaking like gelatin, hypnotically bouncing up and down, as I felt myself growing hard at the thought of wearing the old woman's prodigious ass like a cockholster."

    alice "That's, ah... hnggg... you've kept me waiting a-all night..."

    kil "Bullshit. You like showing [mcf] your slutty face!"

    "Each well-timed thrust was like a lullaby to my sleep-deprived mind; the stark {i}plap, plap, plap{/i} forcing my complete focus on something other than the idle clamor going on between my ears."

    alice "That's not it... it's just- aaah... it turns me on making you happy...!"

    kil "Yeah, right! It turns you on imaging being stuffed from both ends with cock, doesn't it?"

    alice "No? Yes? M-maybe-?"

    kil "I thought you came around to being honest, but you went right back to this wishy-washy crap! I don't get it..."

    "Ian began laying into Alice, and I could tell by her expression, that it was fanning something vile in her that she didn't understand. "

    kil "Is it more fun when you feel mixed up on the inside? Or is it just more exciting to pretend like you're not a disgusting fuck-pig wanting to be broken by a younger dick?"

    alice "Ah, hahaa- I-Ian-"

    kil "Don't \"Ian\" me, bitch! My friend's right in front of your eyes! Focus on him!"

    alice "Ahh, hhhuu- buuut-"

    kil "{b}Imagine{/b} that it's [mcf]'s dick filling you right now! You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

    alice "Ahh, hhh mahhh-- he"

    kil "Fucking cunt! Imagine the feeling of his new, {i}you've-never-tasted-before{/i} cock ripping you a new one."

    alice "Mmmhh, h-he w-wouldn't want that...!"

    kil "Sure he would! Look at how closely he's watching you. He's scrutinizing every wrinkle on your face!"

    kil "He's bigger than me, y'know? And he could give it to you just as hard!"

    alice "Haat..."

    mct "(This was so fucking weird, but...)"

    kil "Imagine {i}us{/b} coming at you from both ends! You would like that, wouldn't you?"

    alice "M-maaybe-!"

    "Ian was speaking my language, liberally feeding his ugliness without compunction, and {b}that{/b} pulled me in."

    kil "Maybe? Should I stop fucking you then, you coy cunt?"

    alice "N-no, d-don't-"

    kil "Then ask [mcf] to keep fucking you."

    "Despite his threats, Ian switched his steady-even rhythm for a more fervent display."

    alice "Ah, [mcf]...? B-but y-you-!"

    kil "Ask him to keep riding your fat, piggy ass~"

    "His words were underlined by the melodious pistoning of the pair's hips wantonly seeking orgasm."

    alice "K-keep fucking me, [mcf]!"

    kil "Ha! You're imagining it, aren't you?"

    alice "Haaa, y-yes! I'm im-imagining it-!"

    kil "I can tell! You're sucking me in so hard~ you like imagining someone else other than me is fucking you!"

    alice "I-Ian, that's not-"

    play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

    play ambient "sound effects/boobjob.wav"

    alice "Aggg-"

    kil "Don't backpedal, you sorry hag!"

    alice "Soooowhhtyy!"

    kil "You stupid, greedy slut!"

    alice "Ah, hhhnggg-♥♥"

    alice "Don't you backpedal!"

    alice "I w-wont, aahh, hhhh- ssoohhh-"

    kil "Don't you FUCKING backpedal, you sorry cunt!"

    alice "Y-yes...♥♥♥"

    kil "Stupid. Fucking. Sorry. Cunt!"

    alice "Hnnng-!"

    kil "All your empty head needs to do is imagine two thick cocks straining your worn-out holes~"

    alice "Hhh, I'm picturing it-!"

    kil "Would you like that, Ms. Mendoza?"

    alice "Y-yes! Heeea-♥♥ Y-yes, I'll t-take both of you!"

    kil "Would you like that you well-fucked piece-of-shit?"

    alice "Ghh, hhnnaaaa- Yeeeehhhss-♥♥"

    kil "Ha! You hear that bro? Any time you want!"

    alice "Ooohh, wwhwhhoooo-♥♥♥♥♥♥"

    kil "Anytime you want this ass is yours!"

    alice "Ghh, mhmhhh, yyeehhhss- a-aanyyy-"

    kil "Say his fucking name, bitch!"

    alice "[mcf]!"

    kil "Do you wish he was here?!"

    alice "Yeeeehhhsssh!"

    kil "Tell him!"

    alice "I w-wish eehhhyou whherrere hwwhere. I wish [mcf] was fucking my p-p-ppshhhyyy...!"

    kil "Bahaha!"

    "*Plap, plap~*"

    kil "That's right! Say my fucking king's name!"

    alice "[mcf]!"

    kil "{b}Bahahaha!{/b} There it is, let go, beautiful!"

    "*Plap, plhahp, plwwwahp~!*"

    "Content with her submission, no more prodding jeers left Ian's lip."

    alice "A-h, aahhh...!"

    "Instead he let her wallow solely in her own slutty thoughts as my brightly transmitted face peered at her from the other side of the screen."

    alice "Ghh, hheee... [mcf]..."

    "Indeed, the blinders of lust on, her hazy focus had turned toward me, leaving me to wonder again just what kind of expression I was making."

    alice "Oh, o-oh... ahh... hhaa... G-give me y-our- cohhhohk"

    "In one breath, she seemed keenly aware of my voyeurism, basking in the twisted dynamic."

    "{b}*PLAP, PLAP, PLAP!*{/b}"

    alice "Ahh, hhhn- Mmmh, I-Ian-! Dehhs- destttroyy meee...!"

    "In another breath, it was like I vanished before her eyes, her mind off at a distant destination, aware of nothing other than my friend turning her into a cock sleeve."

    kil "That's right, lose it!"

    alice "Ian, [mcf]! Ian, [mcf]! Gahh, hheyyy..."

    "No matter how she looked at me, I watched her oscillating expressions with great interest, marveling at how Ian had worn down her sense of propriety."

    alice "Ian[mcf]Ian[mcf]Ian[mcf]Ian[mcf]Ian[mcf]Ian[mcf]Ian[mcf]Ian[mcf]...!"

    "*{i}Plap, plap, plap!*{/i}"

    alice "Gyyahh, hhhaa- hhhggg-"

    "Her brain was scrambled."

    kil "Lose it, you shameless bitch!"

    alice "Gehhh- Eyywwahh- Hnngg~"

    "Was she always like this? Did Ian mold her to his liking?"

    alice "Ahhh, mhmhhh-"

    alice "Gehhh- Eyywwahh- Hnngg~"

    "I myself stopped caring about anything other than the scene in front of me, impressed with my friend's conquest."

    kil "Where you want to see it, bro? Viewer's choice."

    mc "What...?"

    "Ian asked me a question, pulling me away from the reverie of Alice's face twisting in pleasure."

    kil "Where do you want me to blow my load? I'm almost-!"

    alice "H-haaah..."

    kil "Ah, my sweet lovely Alice~ don't you DARE drop the camera! G-gahhh-"

    "Where did I want to see him make a mess...?"

    kil "Seriously dude, a-answer! I'm about to-"

        "You want to see Alice's expression when he packs her full of cum.":

            mc "{b}Inside.{/b}"

            "It was simple. I was caught up following every contour of Alice's face and I wanted to see this to its natural conclusion."

            kil "You got it!"

            "I wanted to see the expression she would make as her womb was drenched in the jizz of someone half her age."

            kil "Here I-- aaahhhh-"

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            alice "Gh, hhhnk-"

            "My friend rolled his hips forward, extending himself as deep as he could go, and letting it all out into the old woman's depths."

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            kil "Drink it up, bitch!"

            alice "Ahh, hhaaa, mmhhhhh-"

            kil "Ha... man, I don't normally shoot that quick."

            mc "...I'm not taking credit for that."

            alice "Ghh, hhnngg dhhiicckk... eeeughh..."

        "You want to see her lathered with jizz.":

            "Abruptly, an image of a younger Alice's demure countenance sprang to mind."

            mc "Do it on her face!"

            "It was absurd, but I answered, momentarily delighted in having control over my friend's actions."

            kil "You got it!"

            alice "W-aah, ahhh...?"

            "I wanted to see the face of the mild, unassuming Alice of my past stained with cum."

            kil "You know the drill! Get ready for it!"

            "True to my friend's claim, she parted her mouth and dutifully offered her tongue."

            kil "Good bitch! Bon appetit--"

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            kil "Gaaah-!"

            "In an instant, Alice's homely face disappeared and was replaced by a disaster."

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            kil "You're fucking nothing!"

            "Layer after layer of spunk plastered her face, transforming her from the woman I knew into a disgusting, pitiful creature."

            play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

            kil "W-worthless... ahh..."

            "It was beautiful."

            kil "Ha... man, I don't normally shoot that quick."

            mc "...I'm not taking credit for that."

    "Ian was right. That was {i}interesting{/i}. We ended up talking for another ten minutes, once we got through the awkwardness of him coming down from his cum-high."

    "All throughout, the distant sound of Alice sucking his cock could be heard - and again, I felt an almost strange admiration that I would never admit to. Still..."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "Eventually, sleep came."

    "......"

    "..."

    mct "(Mmmmh, {i}crap{/i}.)"

    "Sleep that night was a hard-won battle, but in time, I eventually got there."

    "Just as the sun was coming up."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/dog-park.ogg"

    vic "...what are you boys doing today?"

    kil "Playing secret agents."

    vic "Secret, huh?"

    kil "I told [mcf] I'd help make sure his place isn't bugged with listening devices."

    vic "If it's something you don't want to tell me, you could just tell me you're hanging out."

    kil "Why would I keep a secret from you, Vicky?"

    vic "I don't know, but it seems like [mcf] has his secrets these days."

    kil "Maybe he's just at that age?"

    vic "...I'm being serious. There's something different about him that I can't put my finger on..."

    kil "Like what?"

    vic "It's hard to put into words. His general demeanor has been... {i}off{/i} for the past few weeks, if that makes any sense."

        vic "I know something's been bothering him. He doesn't usually show up out of the blue two times in just a few days to watch movies and sleep here."

        vic "I can tell something's been bothering him. He doesn't normally show up out of the blue to watch movies and sleep here."

    vic "Plus, he asked me if I knew some Autumn Burns or another..."

    kil "{size=-5}Byrnes...?{/size}"

    vic "He didn't really explain after that. I thought it might be a director, but he was weirdly emphatic when he asked about it."

    vic "It's not like I have an actual reason to be concerned, it's just a creeping feeling, but I was hoping you might know something."

    kil "You've always coddled him, you know?"

    vic "...excuse me? He's my son. If I were EVER overindulgent with him, I could very well be forgiven."

    kil "I didn't mean that in a bad way. I'm just saying you worry too much. He's a big boy living his life and you are a..."

    vic "Finish your sentence..."

    kil "You are a widowed, single woman."

    vic "What does that have anything to do with [mcf] acting weird?"

    kil "Probably nothing, but it is {i}slightly{/i} possible that you're latching onto minor things because you want to parent him."

    vic "*Scoff* This isn't an empty nest thing. He's been moved out for a few years."

    vic "Do you know how offensive that suggestion is?"

    kil "You know I didn't mean anything by it. I'm just a dumbass."

    vic "......"

    vic "*...no, you're not. Don't talk like that. You're just being honest."

    vic  "You're an annoyingly astute but wonderfully sensitive kid."

    kil "Yeah, right..."

    vic "Afraid so, Ian. It's true."

    vic "Remember when your mother was {i}strongly{/b} giving me advice on how to correct [mcf]'s behavior?"

    vic "I was so mortified and deeply embarrassed at the time... but I know it wasn't a coincidence that you just happened to spill soda all over the work she brought home."

    vic "I was relieved at the change in topic, but in hindsight... you shouldn't have felt you needed to be scolded just to smooth out an uncomfortable situation between adults."

    kil "I'm just clumsy."

    vic "I remember when [mcf] was sick with scarlet fever the week of your class field trip to the aquarium. You were so afraid he was missing out that you called him a dozen times that day just to fill him in."

    vic "Did you even get a chance to enjoy that day yourself?"

    kil "I remember it being a {i}very{/i} good day."

    vic "You've always picked up on specific details and gone out of your way to make someone feel better. You're not dumb... and you're probably not completely wrong, either."

    kil "I was honestly running my mouth. Don't listen to me."

    vic "Still, I'm not gonna give you a pass on your phrasing. \"Widowed, single woman\"...?"

    kil "...you're going to rake me over the coals for this one, huh?"

    vic "It's a teachable moment. You should work on the way you talk to women, Ian."

    kil "...alright, fine. I'll dig myself deeper, then."

    vic "This will be good."

    kil "...how come you've always been single?"

    vic "*Scoff* Oh {b}Gooooood{/b}, now little Ian is looking down on me too. I get enough of being called a spinster from my own son."

    vic "You're really doubling on this \"you need something to do\" thing in the worst possible way, you know that?"

    kil "No, it's a genuine question. You're a beautiful woman; you've always been and you're even more now."

    vic "Is it an anomaly that needs to be understood? You're not suggesting there's something wrong with a \"beautiful\" woman if she doesn't have a man, are you dear?"

    kil "They're usually crazy, yeah, but I know for a fact that you're not. In fact, you're astonishingly personable and kind. So, I was just wondering... what's been the deal with that?"

    vic "......"

    kil "...teachable moment, remember?"

    vic "So this is how you do it? One part feigned stupidity, one part charm? Like a chauvinistic puppy dog?"

    kil "Uh, no- I mean, uhh, well--"

    vic "Pfffh, mahahaa-! Don't hurt yourself trying to worm out of this one. I'll answer your question."

    vic "If we're talking about romance, I've never felt the need after [mcf]'s father."

    vic "I've had my responsibilities as a parent, my work, my interests, and other distractions that kept me occupied and happy."

    kil "Yep, I'm an idiot! That's a great answer! I'm glad I could finish this conversation with all my fingers--"

    vic "If we're talking about physical needs, then as you've said, I am a beautiful woman and it's very simple to-"

    kil "We can leave it at that, please."

    kil "...so [mcf]'s still not up, huh?"

    "......"

    vic "...Ian? I already know the answer, so don't try to lie."

    kil "I don't ever lie to you if I can help it..."

    vic "I know, but you also know I can tell when you're lying, right? I can read you like a book."

    kil "I need to go to the bathroom."

    vic "You WOULD tell me if [mcf] gets himself in a bad spot, wouldn't you?"

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/dog-park.ogg"

    kil "You {b}absolutely{/b} know I would."

    kil "...not that I would ever let him get into a bad spot to begin with. If anything, it'd be the other way around."

    vic "Thank you, Ian."

    mc "*Yawwwwwwwn* When you said you'd drop by in the morning, I didn't think you meant this early..."

    kil "It's not {i}that{/i} early. You just slept in late, lazy ass."

        "All in all, despite the late start, it wasn't a bad night's sleep. I had Ian and Hana to thank for that."

            "All in all, despite the late start, it wasn't a bad night's sleep. I had Ian and Mina to thank for that."

        mct "(You know I didn't get much sleep last night, asshole...)"

    mc "How are you not hungover? You were blasted last night."

    kil "I wasn't that drunk. It was a mild night."

    "The pair looked like they were having a fairly serious conversation. I can only imagine what..."

    mc "Hey, Mom. Sleep well?"

    vic "Good morning, hun. I slept pretty good. How about you?"

    mc "Not too great. I think I'm too used to the memory foam mattress at the apartment. What's up?"

    vic "I've just been talking to Ian. What are you two getting up to today?"

    "I cast my friend a surreptitious glance as if I had ANY hope of beating this well-worn tactic and discerning what he had told her."

    vic "He said you were playing secret agent and hunting for bugs in your apartment."

    mc "He's helping me put up a security camera."

    "Half-truths. I really was planning to put up a camera today."

    mc "A homeless guy wandered into the building a few nights ago and spooked everyone on my floor with a disturbance."

    vic "Aw, poor man. Was he okay?"

    mc "Was he okay...?"

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "He ended up leaving, but it got me thinking about security. So yeah... thought it was better for Ian to climb up a ladder than me, you know?"

    kil "Oh, before I break my neck, there's another thing. I'm scheduled for a haircut. You don't mind coming with me, right?"

    mc "Why didn't you just come after your appointment?"

    kil "I woke up, had some time to kill, and thought my best friend and I would make a morning of it. Hell, wanna get a mani-pedi while we're at it?"

    mc "I'll pass on anyone touching my feet, but actually..."

    mc "I could use a trim. Do they take walk-ins?"

    kil "I know one of the girls. She'll fit you in."

    "Sure... a haircut, sweep for bugs, install a security camera."

    "I've got a veritable to-do list ahead of me."

    mc "When's your appointment?"

    vic "Hmmm..."

    mc "...what is it?"

    vic "You should change your style."

    mc "What's wrong with my hair?"

    kil "You're twenty-two and look like an egghead."

    vic "No, you don't. You look handsome, but I realized I haven't seen your forehead in years."

    mc "You've seen my forehead. I brushed my hair back last night while we watched {i}Nothing Underneath{/i}."

    vic "I meant in the light of day, honey."

    mc "...wait, I look like an egghead?"

    kil "Ha! Got him!"

    mc "Nah, uh uh. I'm just getting a trim."

    kil "You won't after you let that shit fester an hour, egghead."

    vic "Awww, don't listen to him. I like your head as the perfect oval it is."

    mc "Don't think I won't go bald just to spite you two."

    play sound "sound effects/car.wav"

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/scissor-vision.ogg"

    kil "So, I thought some more about the Darius thing."

    "As soon as we got to his car, Ian immediately got on topic, looking rather serious compared to this morning's congeniality."

    mc "Let me hear it."

    kil "I've been thinking Darius isn't the slickest dude. He would've left some kind of a paper trail going wherever he fucked off to."

    mc "Sure, but that's not something you or I could look into, Columbo."

    kil "What about hiring an investigator to do it?"

    mc "I thought you said you thought about it."

    kil "I did! I know it's a bit nuclear to debunk some weird thing Kathy told you, but it would be the most conclusive way of getting peace of mind."

    mc "I think hiring an independent third party to investigate a former employee of the prostitution ring that we're both members of is, to put it mildly, a bad idea."

    "......"

    "..."

    kil "Ah, shit. Yeah, that's a {i}real{/i} dumb idea! That's what I get for trying to cook up something while mid-nut."

    mc "Well, your heart is in the right place, and most importantly, you raised a good point."

    kil "Did I?"

    mc "If he really did just split, he didn't just drop off the face of the earth. So it {i}is{/i} something that can be looked into and possibly confirmed."

    kil "I guess the question is... how bad do we really want to know?"

    mc "...you think it's a bad idea?"

    "I could think of a few reasons, but I wanted to hear Ian's thoughts."

    kil "I'm only saying this because I know he's fine, but... it might be better just not knowing, yeah?"

    mc "Do you mean better in the sense that we wouldn't be burdened with the knowledge?"

    kil "For the record, I'm all for figuring it out. I'd like to know where the hell the guy went and I know clearing it up will give my best friend some peace of mind."

    mc "........."

    mc "......"

    mc "...hypothetically speaking, what would you do if you learned something bad happened to Darius? Would it change anything?"

    "I was posing that question to myself as much as Ian."

    kil "I mean, fuck man. I wouldn't be able to look August or the old woman in the eyes."

    mc "That's it...?"

    kil "Are you asking me if I would quit the club?"

    mc "{i}Would{/i} you quit the club?"

    kil "...prostitution is one thing, but Darius is my friend. So, I m-mean... y-yes?"

    kil "If I'm getting real for a second, I don't think I could fucking take it. I'm just a spoiled-- ahh..."

    "Ian's moral clarity was surprising to me, because..."

    kil "What about you?"

    "I was of two minds about it."

    "One: if a guy, who I didn't even know, got himself into trouble by blackmailing a prostitution ring orbiting the influential and powerful, then he had effectively chosen to step in front of a bus."

    "The other, like Ian... {i}holy shit{/i}."

    mc "I... uh..."

    "I, too, was a dumb, sheltered asshole. My brain might know what kind of place it is, but I hadn't seen the true weight of it."

    kil "Yeeeeah... that's why I think it's a damn good question to ask ourselves before we continue down this road."

    "He was right. Sometimes it was better not knowing, but my inner voice wasn't easily quelled by convenience."

    kil "...again I'm all for it, but there {i}is{/i} a non-zero possibility... and this is the kind of tidbit that once you learn, you can't play hot potato with it. It's in your lap and you got to fucking deal with it."

    kil "How about we let the \"looking into Darius\" thing sit a while? Today, let's take care of your surroundings and get you some {i}immediate{/i} peace of mind. You know, put up that camera and make sure no one is listening to you jerk off?"

    mc "Yeah... one day at a time."

    "My inner voice wasn't easily quelled by convenience, but it also wouldn't be the first time I ignored that nagging bitch."

    "There was no need to be hasty before I could adequately take stock and compartmentalize conflicting feelings."

    mc "Thanks again, Ian."

    kil "Not even a thing between us, bro. Now..."

    kil "...let's go get a haircut, egghead."

    kil "I'm just getting a trim."

    play music "music/hotshot.ogg"

    kil "Thanks for squeezing him in, babe."

    amber "Yeah, heh... no problem, I had some time before your appointment."

    kil "You're the best."

    amber "Stop it, I'm at work."

    kil "Sure, sure, sure..."

    amber "So, uhh... we've..."

    mc "Yep. We've met before, but I'm surprised you remember me."

    kil "Eh? You two have met?"

    amber "Hehehe, I wasn't that-- ah, ha... {i}yeah.{/i}"

    amber "Sorry again about scaring you that night."

    mc "I wasn't {i}scared{/i}."

    "When I haphazardly agreed to a haircut, I didn't imagine the person cutting my hair would be..."

    amber "Oh, yeah, of course not. I just mean--"

    "One of Ian's recurring flings."

    amber "I just mean {i}sorry.{/i}"

    mc "Wasn't your fault. It's that jackass' behind us."

    kil "Seriously? When did you two meet? I think I would remember that..."

    amber "How do you not? Were you seriously that hosed--"

    "That wasn't the only time either, but she doesn't know about that..."

    kil "Ah, whatever. It's not important. Just do your job."

    amber "My job? I'm cutting your hair for free!"

    amber "......"

    amber "*sigh* ...how do you want your hair, sweetie?"

    mc "I'm just here to get a..."

    mc "...actually, I want to try something new, but I'm not sure what would look good. What's your expert opinion?"

    amber "Hmm..."

    amber "May I...?"

    mc "Go ahead."

    amber "I wouldn't really go any shorter than this, so how about I clean up your sides and maybe try styling it differently?"

    amber "That way, if you don't like it, we won't have done anything too drastic."

    mc "Whatever you think is best."

    amber "You know, people who say that are usually either the worst or best customers. Which one are you?"

    mc "The kind that appreciates you for making time for me last minute."

    amber "That's a good answer."

    amber "Don't just lurk behind me, Ian. Go sit down."

    "......"

    "..."

    "Two haircuts later, Ian and I..."

    kil "Ah, look here!"

    mc "What are you doing?"

    kil "Getting a picture to send to Vicky."

    mc "Why? She'll just see it later anyway..."

    play sound "sound effects/camera-phone-shutter.wav"

    kil "There, got it! You were making a stupid face though."

    mc "What? Let me see it..."

    kil "This is going on ALL my accounts!"

    mc "Eh, don't post it without my--"

    kil "Man, we look damn good. We should go out tonight."

    mc "I'll pass."

    kil "I knew you'd say that because {i}obviously{/i} we need to get you some new duds first."

    mc "I'll pass."

    kil "I knew you'd say that, too, party pooper."

    play music "music/sneaky-snitch.ogg"

    kil "We should've sprung for the more expensive ones. I would have paid for them."

    mc "I'm not trying to film the wrinkles of an intruder's asshole here, Ian. Should anyone poke around here while I'm not gone, I just want to be alerted."

    mc "I prefer my overreactions to be as inexpensive as possible."

    kil "Okay, well, setting up the cameras is simple enough. But do you have any idea how to search for microphones?"

    mc "I did some research. I bought an RF detector when we got the cameras, but I want to be more thorough than that. I'm glad you're here... this is a big place."

    kil "You mean there's not an app that just {i}beep beeps?{/i}"

    mc "I'm leaving no room for doubt."

    kil "...alright, just uh... you're buying me pizza later."

    mc "Eh? You volunteered."

    kil "You cheap ass."

    mc "Cheap? I was the only one of us who paid for his haircut today."

    kil "What are you talking about? I pay Amber in my own way."

    "So, we did our {i}detecting.{/i}."

    "We shut off all the appliances and listened for any electrical hums. We looked for errant wires and checked the light fixtures."

    "We wandered around, flashlights in tow, searching for reflections bouncing back off tiny lenses."

    "An hour and a half later, I felt relatively sure of one thing - {i}no one was spying on my dorky ass.{/i}"

    kil "So, peace of mind achieved?"

    mc "I feel a little better. Thanks for humoring me."

    kil "I wasn't humoring you. You had cause for concern."

    mc "I appreciate it even more, then."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Tell me more about Darius - and don't just call him a flaky asshole like everyone else. I'd like to hear something good."

    kil "...something good? He... he had plenty of good things about him."

    mc "Tell me some."

    kil "Well, for example, he was hilarious. Everyone at the club loved him because he could make anyone laugh without fail."

    mc "And what else?"

    "For some reason, I thought getting a fuller picture of what kind of guy my predecessor was, was a good idea."

    kil "He always said what was on his mind and never bullshitted. Of course, it rarely did him any favors, but he'd outright tell you if he thought something was boring, stupid, or unfair."

    kil "The last one is the good one, the rest made him pretty annoying, but at least for the people in front of his face, he looked out for them."

    kil "Basically, he was the kind of guy who wore his heart on his sleeve. He'd be in love with a different girl every month and I think the idiot really meant it."

    kil "Chasing a girl brought him over from Hawaii in the first place."

    mc "Oh yeah, you mentioned a week ago that his family has a business up there."

    kil "That's something he and I had in common. He was happy to be away from all that crap."

    "......"

    "..."

    kil "So, uh... does any of this make you want to find out where he went {i}more{/i} or does it encourage you to just let sleeping dogs lie?"

    mc "I don't know. Have you ever thought of getting in contact with his family?"

    kil "There was no reason to before now. I'd have to track them down, but that shouldn't be difficult. Should I?"

    mc "On the one hand, it might immediately clear everything up. On the other, if they haven't heard from him, it would just make me wonder even harder..."

    mc "Not sure what I'll do with it, but try to find it, will ya?"

    kil "Yeah, sure thing. I'll look into it tonight. I think he mentioned the business' name in an old text or something... They run a big textile plant."

    mc "Thanks..."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "I'm tired."

    kil "Rest your eyes."

    mc "I think I just might..."

    kil "While you do that, can I take a shower? Feelin' a bit itchy after my trim."

    mc "Mi casa es tu casa. Just don't drown, amigo."

    kil "I'll try, but keep an ear out, just in case."

    mct "(Heh. Since when does he ask...?)"

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/no7-alone-with-my-thoughts.ogg"

    "As my mind gradually let go of its thoughts, I felt distant."

    "Was I in a movie? The question of hunting down a missing man's parents felt preposterous, but the underlying sense of anxiety that pervaded me since yesterday was, oddly enough, at an all-time low."

    "Something in me intrinsically understood that - Darius aside - this was a needed reality check, perhaps in the way that the home-invading old prick intended. It offered a chance to put things in order for myself and have a securer grasp on the future."

    mct "(...bottom line, do I like how my life is going?)"

    "These last few weeks have been..."

        "Interesting.":

            "It's been a lot of things, but it hasn't been boring."

            "Money, women, and now even a little dash of intrigue..."

        "Confusing.":

            "No two ways around it. I've felt at odds with myself."

            mct "(Life used to be a lot simpler. I certainly never worried about {i}this{/i}.)"

            "Well, it's not like I plan on blackmailing my bosses, but still..."

    mc "Mmmhhh..."

    "As my mind further let go of its thoughts, an image snaked into my brain."

        "That was fun, wasn't it?"

        mc "That happened yesterday, huh?"

        mc "That happened yesterday, huh?"

        mc "That happened yesterday, huh?"

        mc "That happened yesterday, huh?"

    "........."

    "......"

    mct "(...I should check on the girls.)"

        "Call Rosalind." if w3CarnationCallRosalind == False:

            play ambient "sound effects/ringing-outbound.mp3"

                "Now, last but not least, let's give Rosie a call..."

                "It rung."

                "It rung and rung and rung, but..."

                play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

                "Nothing."

                "I should try again."

                "I decided to start with Rosalind."

                "It rung."

                "It rung and rung and rung, but..."

                play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

                "Nothing."

                mct "(I'll try again after the others.)"

                "Next, I decided to give Rosalind a call."

                "It rung."

                "It rung and rung and rung, but..."

                play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

                "Nothing."

                mct "(Hmm... I'll try again after the others.)"

        "Call Felicia." if w3CarnationCallFelicia == False:

            play ambient "sound effects/ringing-outbound.mp3"

                "Okay, let's try Felicia now."

                "*Ring, ring...*"

                mct "Hmmm..."

                "*Ring, ring, ring~*"

                mct "(Is she not going to pick up eith--)"

                "I decided to start with the bombastic blonde herself."

                "*Ring, ring...*"

                "The call dragged on."

                "*Ring, ring, ring~*"

                "...and just when I thought it would go to voicemail--"

                "Okay, let's try Felicia next."

                "*Ring, ring...*"

                mct "Hmmm..."

                "*Ring, ring, ring~*"

                mct "(Is she not going to pick up eith--)"

                "Okay, let's try Felicia next."

                "*Ring, ring....*"

                "The call dragged on."

                "Ring, ring, ring~*"

                "...and just when I thought it would go to voicemail--"

            play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

            fel "Hello?"

            "Felicia answered in a not-too-lively, flat tone."

            mc "Hey... it's [mcf]."

            fel "I know who it is, [mcf]."

            mc "I'm calling to see how you were feeling after yesterday."

            fel "That's very kind of you."

            mc "Are you okay? You sound a bit... off."

            fel "I'm fine."

            "Short, to-the-point answers."

            mc "...Just fine? It was... {i}pretty rough{/i} yesterday, huh?"

            fel "The wellness check is unnecessary. Check-in with one of the other girls."

                "{color=#FF1493}\[Sugar Baby]{/color} You two are a little more than that." if feliciaSugarBaby == True:

                    mc "Oh, come on... don't be like that, baby. We're not just business, are we?"

                    fel "Ha! Ah...? That's cute. Trying it on for size?"

                        mct "(I wonder if Hana would consider this part of my club duties...)"

                    mc "Give me some credit. I'm calling because I'm worried and I know you didn't have as much fun as you usually do yesterday."

                "You're calling as her friend.":

                    mc "I remember us being on more friendly terms than that. We get along, don't we?"

                    mc "Seriously, how are you feeling? I know yesterday wasn't exactly your speed."

                "Be that as you may, you're talking now.":

                    mc "I'm talking to you, Felicia. It was pretty rough yesterday, huh?"

                fel "...and who made it extra rough for me yesterday?"

                mc "Did I take it too far?"

                fel "Yeah, you kinda did, [mcf]. You seemed to really-- ah..."

                "Felicia stopped herself, mid-thought and let the implication stand on its own."

                mc "...but did I do anything wrong?"

                fel "...*sigh* That's not... I know that's the nature of the game, but you showed your teeth."

                    "Apologize.":

                        mc "Sorry. I got lost in the moment. You know what that's like, right?"

                        fel "You pushed it pretty far."

                        mc "I know, I know... and I apologize."

                        fel "I wasn't asking for an apology. Apologizing means you'll never do it again and we both know you need to do your job."

                        mc "...you're upset, but you don't want me to apologize?"

                        fel "Yeah, sometimes you get miffed, even when you know the circumstances can't be helped. I guess I was just surprised at how enthusiastic you got?"

                        fel "*sigh* ...but, like you said, I know what getting lost in the moment is like."

                        mc "Well, if I can't apologize, what can I do to make it up to you?"

                            fel "Hmmm... I don't know if you can."

                            mc "I'll do what I can."

                            fel "That'll be your homework then. Think about it {i}real hard{/i} and put all your contrition behind showing me a good time, alright?"

                                "There wasn't any harm in going with her to the exhibition tomorrow night, but Hana once again popped into my head."

                                "Even if I could justify that it was under the purview of keeping my charge happy, getting physical with Felicia went against the spirit of our \"outside of the club\" agreement."

                                mct "(Hana... I promised her something so small, but something so difficult. Not that she'd ever find out, but...)"

                                    mct "(And certainly, this whole absurd sugar baby arrangement went beyond the pale.)"

                                    "Not that she'd ever find out, but why make that promise in the first place, then?"

                                    fel "Think you can do that for me, [mcf]?"

                                    "Well, the arrangement was always tentative. We can hang out tomorrow and I can just be frank with her. Felicia would respect that."

                                        mct "(...that's the least I can do, considering she footed the bill for Rosalind's loan shark problem.)"

                                    "...not that she'd ever find out, but why make that promise in the first place, then?"

                                    fel "Think you can do that for me, [mcf]?"

                                    "Well, we can hang out tomorrow and I can just be frank with her. Felicia would respect that."

                                mc "We'll have a great time, Felicia."

                                fel "Good!"

                                mc "You'll have me at my most contrite, beautiful."

                                fel "Good!"

                            fel "There's nothing to make up; I'll be over it in a day. I'm not stupid, you know?"

                            fel "I signed up for this."

                            mc "You could at least let me buy you lunch sometime."

                            fel "...is that a joke?"

                            mc "Yeah, that's a joke."

                            fel "Hmpfh..."

                    "Call her on her bullshit.":

                        mc "That's a load of crap, and you know it."

                        fel "Excuse me? What is?"

                        "Felicia's voice hit a {i}distinct{/i} high note, suddenly switching to an entitled housewife voice that befitted her station."

                        fel "What's a load of crap, [mcf]? Tell me."

                        "Yeah... she wasn't in a good mood today and I was poking the bear."

                        mc "You tell me. You shouldn't step in shit if you don't like the smell. Did I do anything wrong yesterday?"

                        fel "You zapped me double the number of times as the other girls!"

                        mc "So what? Are you going to pout about it like a spoiled little girl?"

                        "I didn't quite understand why I felt so antagonistic, but..."

                        mc "We're both where we chose to be, on our own terms, trying to squeeze as much fun as possible from the situation. Isn't that how you live your life?"

                        fel "Holy shit, I was just a little surprised, okay? I'm just feeling a bit... {i}{b}blah{/b}{/i} today."

                        fel "Let a bitch vent, will 'ya?"

                        mc "Don't run away from it, Felicia. Yesterday wasn't your speed, so you tried to blame me for it, but I KNOW you're not the type of person who lives like that."

                        fel "*sigh* No, I'm not..."

                        mc "You're better than that."

                            mc "It's one of the things I like best about you."

                            fel "Pssh, yeeeeah, sure... all you like is that I'm a pair of tanned legs leading to a set of holes."

                                "Agree with her.":

                                    mc "You do use 'em well."

                                    fel "Fuck you!"

                                    mc "What? I thought you were fishing for a compliment."

                                    fel "Yeah, yeah, yeah... read the room, {i}asshole{/i}."

                                    "Felicia's cute when she's mad."

                                    mc "You're also a nice stomach, a lovely pair of breasts, a beautiful face, and..."

                                    fel "Stop! Are you trying to be funny?"

                                    mc "Maybe..."

                                "Talk her up.":

                                    mc "There's more than that. You're fun to be around and you make me think."

                                    fel "...about what? Sex?"

                                    mc "About the value of things."

                                    fel "Fucking weirdo."

                                    mc "For real. I knew you were something special the night we had dinner. You stood up for little old me, dazzled me with your talk about the hierarchy of needs, and looked good doing it."

                                    mc "You're a total package and you know it. Don't let a little cattle prod tell you otherwise."

                                    fel "Pfhh, oh god. Life is {i}absurd{/i}."

                                    mc "It really is..."

                            "......"

                            fel "Are we still on for tomorrow?"

                            mc "You know it."

                                "There wasn't any harm in going with her to the exhibition tomorrow night, but Hana once again popped into my head."

                                "Even if I could justify it to myself that was under the purview of keeping my charge happy, getting physical with Felicia went against the spirit of our \"outside of the club\" agreement."

                                mct "(Hana... I promised her something so small, but something so difficult. Not that she'd ever find out, but...)"

                                    mct "(And certainly, this whole absurd sugar baby arrangement went beyond the pale.)"

                                    "...not that she'd ever find out, but why make that promise in the first place, then?"

                                    fel "I'm glad. I've been looking forward to it."

                                    "Well, the arrangement was always tentative. We can hang out tomorrow and I can just be frank with her. Felicia would respect that."

                                        mct "(...that's the least I can do, considering she footed the bill for Rosalind's loan shark problem.)"

                                    "...not that she'd ever find out, but why make that promise in the first place, then?"

                                    fel "I'm glad. I've been looking forward to it..."

                                    "Well, we can hang out tomorrow and I can just be frank with her. Felicia would respect that."

                                mc "You and I will have a lovely time."

                                fel "There's no backing out from that."

                                mc "I'll make it worth your money, beautiful."

                                fel "Please. I'm going to have to teach you everything, aren't I?"

                            fel "Yeah, thanks for the pep talk, stud."

                fel "It's what I signed up for. I won't pretend that was fun for me, but not everything can be."

                mc "Yeah, but how are you feeling today?"

                fel "How am I feeling...? What, you genuinely asking?"

                    "{color=#FF1493}\[Sugar Baby]{/color} Of course you are." if feliciaSugarBaby == True:

                        mc "Hey! You and I stand to become pretty close, baby."

                            mct "(I wonder if Hana would consider this part of my club duties...)"

                        fel "...heh. You're the baby, [mcf]. Provisionally."

                        mc "...seriously, how are you?"

                    "You're calling as her friend.":

                        mc "Of course, I am, Felicia. I'm concerned about you."

                        fel "When have I ever given you a reason to be concerned?"

                        mc "Never, but I'm still asking. How are you?"

                    "It is why you called.":

                        mc "I wouldn't ask if I didn't want an answer."

                        fel "Sure, yeeeah..."

                        mc "How are you, Felicia? Tell me."

                fel "I am...{i}blaaaaaah.{/i} Worn out? Drained? {i}Whatever{/i}."

                mc "Sounds complicated."

                fel "Not really. Sometimes things rub you the wrong way, there's no sense to it, and you just got to let it wash over you."

                mc "That's not true. There's always a reason. Sometimes we just don't want to expend the energy to comprehend it."

                fel "It doesn't take much to comprehend you don't like to be zapped with electricity."

                mc "Ha, yeeeah. Kinda a stupid thing to say, huh?"

                "I did suspect something more behind her mood than the day-past physical discomfort of the trial, but there was no value in pushing that point."

                fel "By the way, I appreciate what you did when it was my turn. Kathy seemed dead set on me getting it good, but you at least made me feel part of the proceedings."

                mc "I just wanted a different tempo, is all."

                fel "Hmmfh..."

                mc "So you're just letting it \"wash\" over you?"

                fel "It's easy to do when you got a pool in your penthouse."

                mc "You sure do keep it real, Felicia."

                fel "Shut up. I know how I sound."

                    fel "You know what's going to make me feel better, though?"

                    mc "What?"

                    fel "Are we still on for our date tomorrow?"

                    mc "I wouldn't dream of letting you down."

                        "There wasn't any harm in going with her to the exhibition tomorrow night, but Hana once again popped into my head."

                        "Even if I could justify it to myself that was under the purview of keeping my charge happy, getting physical with Felicia went against the spirit of our \"outside of the club\" agreement."

                        mct "(Hana... I promised her something so small, but something so difficult. Not that she'd ever find out, but...)"

                            mct "(And certainly, this whole absurd sugar baby arrangement went beyond the pale.)"

                            "Not that she'd ever find out, but why make that promise in the first place, then?"

                            fel "I'm happy to hear it."

                            "Well, the arrangement was always tentative. We can hang out tomorrow and I can just be frank with her. Felicia would respect that."

                                mct "(...that's the least I can do, considering she footed the bill for Rosalind's loan shark problem.)"

                                "...not that she'd ever find out, but why make that promise in the first place, then?"

                                fel "I'm happy to hear it."

                                "Well, we can hang out tomorrow and I can just be frank with her. Felicia would respect that."

                    fel "My self-awareness is one of my best qualities."

                    mc "Are you aware of how {i}that{/i} sounds?"

                    fel "Quiet, you."

            "........."

            "......"

            "..."

            "Our call was brief, but the silence was damning. There was nothing else to be said."

            fel "Now that the obligatory health check is done, can I return to pre-gaming my book club meeting?"

            mc "You drink at book club meetings?"

            fel "You don't think we read books, do you?"

            mc "Ha! Stupid me, right? Yeah, sorry to disturb you."

                fel "No, it's... no. I'm glad you called."

                fel "You're just doing your job."

            mc "Bye, Felicia."

                "All that is left is to try Rosalind one more time."

                play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

                mct "Who's next?"

        "Call Veronica." if w3CarnationCallVeronica == False:

            play ambient "sound effects/ringing-outbound.mp3"

                "Okay, let's try Veronica now."

                "*Ring, ring...*"

                "I decided to start with Veronica."

                "*Ring, ring...*"

                "Okay, let's try Veronica next. Hopefully, I'll have better luck."

                "*Ring, ring...*"

                fel "Okay, let's try Felicia next."

                "*Ring, ring...*"

            play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

            "Almost immediately, the ringing ceased, accompanied by a slightly too long pause that made me wonder if the call had been dropped."

                mc "Hey, Ronnie."

                "So long that I decided to take the initiative with the salutations."

                ver "...you're still insisting on that dumb nickname, huh?"

                mc "It's not dumb; it's cute."

                ver "So, your goal is to infantilize me?"

                mc "What...? No. Why does everything have to be confrontational with you?"

                ver "It's fun. So, why are you calling?"

                mc "I wanted to hear how you were doing."

                ver "How am I doing...?"

                mc "Is that an unusual question for a friend to ask?"

                ver "Uuugh, I said that, didn't I?"

                mc "And don't say you don't know what got into you."

                ver "You and I aren't exactly chummy enough for phone conversations."

                mc "Agree to disagree. Now, I'm genuinely asking: how are you feeling today?"

                mc "Hello? You there?"

                "I decided to take the initiative with the greetings."

                ver "...hey, [mcf]."

                mc "Hey, how are you doing?"

                ver "How am I doing...?"

                mc "It's a commonly used phatic expression to signal the start of a conversation."

                ver "You and I aren't exactly chummy enough for phone conversations."

                mc "Agree to disagree. Now, I'm genuinely asking: how are you feeling today?"

                "......still, I could see the call was connected, so I waited."

                "..."

                ver "Hey, what?"

                mc "Is that how you answer all your calls?"

                ver "Of course not. You're special, [mcf]."

                mc "That's what my mom tells me. So, how are you doing?"

                ver "How am I doing...?"

                mc "It's a commonly used phatic expression to signal the start of a conversation."

                ver "I know what it is."

                mc "How are you feeling today? I'm genuinely asking."

            ver "You're checking in on me."

            mc "Of course, I am. Yesterday was rough."

                ver "Funny of you to say, considering you stepped on me."

                mc "You wouldn't forgive me if I half-assed it, would you? Besides, it was fun having my foot on your chest."

                "Why did I feel the need to be so candid in that moment...?"

                ver "You're so obnoxious."

                    mc "I'm just being honest, like you were when you had the girls served up to you on a slab yesterday."

                    ver "You saw that...? That was... I just got carried away because of whatever it was she gave me."

                    mc "Don't lie. You had fun doing whatever you wanted; you were happy to have the excuse."

                    ver "..."

                    "I took her silence as tacit agreement."

                    mc "I'm just being honest, like you were when you had Felicia served up to you yesterday."

                    ver "You saw that...? I... just followed Rosie's example."

                    mc "Don't lie. You had fun making a rich bitch hot blonde piss herself."

                    ver "...yeah, I did."

                    "I respected the fact she would readily admit it."

                    mc "I'm just being honest. It's the foundation of any productive relationship. "

                    ver "Do you see this as productive?"

                    mc "Maybe. You're working toward a goal, and I'm here to make sure you get through the finish line."

                    ver "Ah, that's so fucked up."

                    "I let a brief silence serve as an agreement."

                ver "So, you want to know how I am...? Alright... I'm..."

                ver "I'm fine."

                mc "Of course you would say that."

                ver "Sure, but it was educational."

                mc "Is that right?"

                ver "I learned a lot about myself and my competition. And ultimately... it wasn't that bad."

                mc "Of course you would say that."

                ver "Don't get me wrong. It wasn't fun, but..."

            ver "I'm not putting on a stiff upper lip, [mcf]. That {b}spider{/b} was a kick to the stomach, the chalice of--"

            mc "{b}Fair point.{/b} So you're really not...?"

            ver "Stewing in a pile of my own misery? Who do you think I am?"

            "Was she talking herself up?"

            ver "I absolutely am. What do you think brought me to the club?"

            mc "Man, that's uh..."

            "Scratch that. She's pulling herself the other way."

            mc "That's candid of you."

            ver "When have I been anything but?"

                mc "I think you hide a lot."

                ver "I may have said we can be friends, but we're not that kind of friends. No need to dig too deep."

                mc "I wasn't really trying to."

                mc "I think you hide a lot."

                ver "Just cause I had a moment in the shower doesn't mean I'm an open book, string bean."

                mc "I wasn't trying to pry you open or anything. It's just an observation."

                mc "Well, that elbow you gave Samson WAS pretty candid."

                "...but she WAS full of shit about other stuff."

            ver "Be honest, did you expect to find me weepy?"

                "There was a possibility.":

                        mc "Well, like you said, it wouldn't be the first time."

                        mc "It wouldn't be the first time."

                    ver "Everyone has days like that."

                    mc "I don't think quite like that..."

                "You're just checking in.":

                    mc "I just thought it would be good to check-in."

                    ver "You're giving all the girls a call?"

                    mc "That's right."

                    ver "Awww, I'm not special?"

            "Talking to the Amazon was exhausting."

            mc "This is the most I've ever worked for a \"how are you doing\", you know?"

                ver "Because people don't talk about this kind of shit over the phone, idiot. If you want to hear someone genuinely pour their guts out, you got to do it over drinks."

                mct "(Drinks, eh...?)"

                    "{color=#FF1493}\[Friends]{/color} Invite her for drinks tonight.":

                        mc "Okay, then. Let's get some drinks tonight. It'll be my treat."

                        "......"

                        "..."

                        mc "You there?"

                        ver "I wasn't fishing for an invitation."

                        mc "Well, I extended one. What do you say? Blow off some steam with me."

                        ver "I, uh..."

                        mc "You don't need to be glued to your gym 24/7, do you?"

                        ver "I, I... {i}no thanks{/i}."

                        "Damn, I thought I had her."

                        mc "You sure? We don't need to talk about anything related to the club. I promise you a good time.."

                        ver "Yeah... {b}I'm sure.{/b}"

                        mc "Alright..."

                    "You don't want to go drinking with her. Let the comment pass.":

                ver "My ex-wife used to say the same."

                "I think she meant that as a joke, but her delivery was so deadpan that I held back any noise that might confirm comprehension of what she said."

            ver "Is there anything else you need?"

            mc "Nope, I'm satisfied that it's business as usual."

                ver "Good. Talk to you later, Bones."

                mc "See you, Ron--"

                ver "Good. Talk to you later, [mcf]."

                mc "See you, Ver--"

            play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

            "That was painfully brief, but mission accomplished... I think?"

            mct "(She at least seemed normal.)"

                "All that is left is to try Rosalind one more time."

                mct "Now... who's next?"

    play ambient "sound effects/ringing-outbound.mp3"

    "Like last time, it rang."

    "It rung and rung and rung."

    "And just when I thought it would turn up the same result--"

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    "The call was connected."

    mc "Hello...?"

    "And, before I could finish my greeting, the call ended."

    "I'll try again--"

    phone "You have reached {i}Rosalind Carter{/i}, after the tone--"

    "Straight to voice mail."

    mct "(That's weird...)"

    "Not picking up, that'd be one thing, but picking up and THEN turning her phone off...?"

    "Maybe it was just the kind of day I was having, but I felt a prickly suspicion that something wasn't right."

    mct "(Would it be crazy to go check on her...?)"

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Killian!"

    kil "What?!"

    mc "Finish your shower!"

    scene w3_4005 with CropMove(0.3, "wipeleft")

    play sound "sound effects/whoosh.wav"

    kil "What's up, bro?"

    mc "We should go check on Rosalind."

    kil "Is something--"

    "Noticing how serious I must look, Killian changed tune."

    kil "Yeah, let's go. I'll be less than a minute."

    kil "Do you know where she lives?"

    play sound "sound effects/car-door-close.wav"

        mc "Yeah, I've been there."

        mc "Yeah, it was written down in her info."

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    play sound "sound effects/car-beep.wav"

    "So, off we went, in a likely foolish endeavor, done for probably for no good reason, prompted by something that was perhaps easily explainable."

    mct "(Hell, she might just not want to be bothered.)"

    play sound "sound effects/walk-wood.mp3"

    kil "Which one is it?"

    "Still, given the other day, I just wanted to be sure."

    mc "It's at the end of the hall."

        kil "So, you've been here before."

        play sound "sound effects/door-bell.wav"

        "*Ding-dong!*"

        kil "You dog."

        mc "Shut up."

        kil "She might not be home."

        play sound "sound effects/door-bell.wav"

        "*Ding-dong!*"

        mc "Guess we'll see."

    "Ian and I just stood and listened while the seconds piled up."

    play sound "sound effects/door-bell.wav"

    "Ding-dong!*"

    mc "Hey, Rose? It's [mcf]."

    "Time marched on, but no signs of anyone coming to the door."

    "......"

    "..."

        kil "Guess she isn't home?"

        kil "Guess she isn't?"

    mc "Yeeeah, this is probably silly, let's--"

    play sound "sound effects/walk-wood.mp3" fadein 3.0

    "Just then, the faint sound of footsteps stole our attention."

    "The pitter-patter grew louder, followed by the fumbling of a lock and the jingle of the doorknob."

    kil "Looks like you were worried for nothing."

    "And finally, breaking the arduous anticipation..."

    play sound "sound effects/door-open.wav"

    rose "Oh... hey."

    play music "music/i-knew-a-guy.ogg"

    "Rosalind's mouse-like face poked ever so slightly from the crevice of her front door."

    mc "Oh, good! Hey! I know this sounds crazy, but... I got worried after our call got dropped."

    mct "(Her phone probably died, right?)"

    rose "Oh, uh... thanks for checking in?"

    mct "(But if that was the case, why does she look uneasy?)"

    "Her face was red, nervous looking, and uncertain."

    kil "Is... everything alright?"

    "He noticed it too."

    rose "Yeah! Sorry, I just... I was in the middle of something, and {i}I didn't want to be disturbed,{/i} so I turned my phone off."

    "......"

    "..."

    "I was quite obviously scrutinizing her, so much so that the motherly beauty skirted my gaze."

    rose "I wanted to  disconnect, y'know? For the first time in a while..."

    "Something {i}was{/i} weird here."

    mc "Hey, Rose... why are you talking to us through the door?"

    "No other way to cut it. Something {i}is{/i} off."

    rose "I hadn't noticed."

    rose "I've got unexpected company. {b}Family{/b} from out town. You can understand why I might..."

    mc "......"

    mc "..."

    mc "Hey, Rose?"

    rose "W-what is it?"

    mc "Do you usually leave things knocked over and thrown about the floor when you have company?"

    rose "I, uhh--"

    play music "music/leaving-home.ogg"

    man "Just open the door."

    "I knew that voice."

    rose "Ah, b-ut-"

    olly "Didn't you hear her? She has company. You come off as creepy when you don't take the hint."

    kil "Who the fuck are you? Mary Poppins?"

    "The loan shark who had been pestering Rosalind, in the flesh."

    olly "Yeah, bend over. I've got an umbrella for your ass."

    kil "Yeah?! Get--"

    mc "{b}Stop.{/b}"

    "It hit me."

    "A sinking, snaking feeling that unfurled itself from my id and coiled around my mother wit."

    "I knew this feeling well."

    "It was {b}agitation{/b}, not born from principle or righteous indignation, but from instinct."

    "It was my body deciding to fight over flight, getting juiced to face down a challenge."

    olly "I thought I recognized your voice. You're the one I spoke to on the phone, werren'you? What was your name again?"

    "The problem was, this wasn't a childhood scrap."

    "The man in front of us wasn't some bloviating bully or drunkard, and there were ramifications for my position at the club, Rosalind's predicament, and even my immediate safety."

        "Be direct.":

            mc "What are you doing here? You were supposed to fuck off for a couple of weeks."

            mct "(I have to deal with this decisively. If I budge an inch, he'll walk all over us.)"

            olly "...was I, now? And who are you to say that?"

            "The way I saw it, I had a few priorities here. Chief among them was chasing this prick out of here."

            "Lesser concerns: avoiding a commotion that would draw the attention of Rosalind's neighbors, avoiding getting the cops called on us, and..."

            kil "Your ugly whore mother just calls him Payday, Britbong."

            "...{b}not getting punched in the face.{/b}"

            mc "You're not helping."

            mc "My name's [mcf]."

            mc "This is Ian."

            mc "And you're Oliver. Great, now we all know each other, {b}why are you here?{/b}"

            olly "Oh, yeah. That's what you said your name was. Want a word of advice, [mcf]?"

            olly "{b}Scram.{/b} We're havin' a private conversation and you're sourin' my mood."

        "Be amiable.":

            mc "Olly to your friends, right?"

            mct "(I have to deal with this delicately. If we start a shoving match, literal or otherwise, we are more likely to budge.)"

            olly "Oh, is this friendly?"

            "The way I saw it, I had a few priorities here..."

            mc "No, we're not, but it's in all our interests that we take it down a notch."

            "Chief among them was diffusing the situation and getting this man out of her home."

            "Lesser concerns..."

            olly "Actually, it's in your best interest to get the fuck out here. You're sticking your nose in a private conversation."

            "...avoiding a commotion that would draw the attention of Rosalind's neighbors, avoiding getting the cops called on us, and--"

            kil "Take your own advice before we fuck you up, asshole."

            "--not getting punched in the face."

            olly "Try me."

            mc "Not helping."

            mc "...people are going to start wondering what's going on."

            olly "Let 'em. I ain't listening to a toddler lecture me about my business."

            kil "You have no idea who you're fucking with."

            olly "By all means, fill me in."

            mc "I'm [mcf]. This is Ian."

            olly "Oh, yeah. Those fit a pair of wankers like you real well."

        "Ask if Rosalind is okay.":

            mc "Are you okay, Rose?"

            mct "(When dealing with this, I must be mindful of Rose and not make her situation worse.)"

            olly "Eh? Don't talk to her. You're talking to me."

            "The way I saw it, I had a few priorities here. Chief among them was getting this prick away from Rosalind and ensuring she was safe."

            mc "{b}Are you okay?{/b}"

            "Lesser concerns: avoiding a commotion that would draw the attention of Rosalind's neighbors, avoiding getting the cops called on us, and not getting punched in the face."

            rose "Um, y-yeah, I'm... can't you just leave, please?"

            mc "Not an option, I'm afraid."

            olly "How's it not when you got two perfectly workin' legs at the moment?"

            kil "Get over here, Rose."

            olly "{b}Stay the fuck where you are{/b}, cunt."

            rose "S-seriously, [mcf]. You can go, I'm... I'm fine."

            olly "Oh, that's right. You said your name was [mcf]."

        mc "August Byrnes asked you to back off, didn't he? Did you not get the message?"

        olly "Yeah, I got the \"message.\" The thing is, I was real gobsmacked about why some dinosaur I've never met was poking around in my business."

        olly "Now that I see the arse-mongers he associates with, I can safely say he's nothing."

        kil "You seriously have no fucking idea what kind of problem you're making for yourself."

        olly "No, what I can't figure out is why August Byrnes had the nerve to try and throw his irrelevant ass around like it meant somethin' to me."

        olly "Actually, I was tryin' to get to the bottom of that before you came a-knocking. It's not every day a bitch sends someone to try and strong-arm me."

        mc "She didn't send anyone. It was my idea."

        olly "Yours? Who the fuck are you?"

        mc "A friend."

        olly "Well, \"friend\" just don't cut it. I figure it like this: out of us bunch, I'm the only one who's got a legitimate claim here. Rosie is into me for some serious money, and I'm not stopping my trade just because someone asked nicely."

        olly "What fuckin' right do you have to tell me to back off?"

        mct "(Well, {b}shit{/b}....)"

        "We didn't have a leg to stand on if the old man's name meant nothing to him. But, nevertheless, he had to go and it was up to us to convince him."

        "Our choices were not to flinch or try a more diplomatic approach."

            "Ramp up the antagonism.":

                play music "music/Darkdub.ogg"

                mc "Yeah, I see what the problem was... you were asked {i}nicely{/i}."

                "I had NO intention of fighting him. Sure, there were two of us, but knocking heads was his job. If we could get him out in the hall, we {i}might{/i} be able to corner him, but I still didn't like my chances."

                olly "That's not as cool as you think it is."

                "Plus, even with our numbers, it only took one errant hit to make this a 1-on-1. Not to mention, brawling in the middle of a hallway might get us arrested. "

                mc "They're expensive."

                "I could only HOPE that he was cognizant of that reality as well, and this was just a matter of posturing. After all, I was chained to August's narrative and he believed us to share in the same line of work."

                olly "Well...?"

                "To get anywhere with him, we had to speak the same language."

                mc "The way I see it is this: you're outnumbered."

                olly "Not outmatched."

                mc "That's something we can find out if you want."

                "This was fucking stupid, he was a career criminal and I most certainly wasn't, but I was going with my gut."

                mc "All up to you."

                kil "Just walk away. You've made your point."

                olly "Don't tell me how to do my business."

                mc "Is there a point to this? There's nothing gained here. You can't get money that's not there, and us acting like Neanderthals won't change that."

                olly "I can think of a couple things. One, sending a message, and the other... the fun of kicking your teeth in."

                mc "{b}Go home for the day.{/b} You'll have your money in due time."

                "........."

                "......"

                "..."

                olly "Tell you what. If your boss wants me to be a ghost, all it takes is to pay me what I'm owed, geddit?"

                mc "I can pass the message along."

                olly "That easy, huh?"

                mc "Yeah. Just leave Rosalind alone in the meantime."

                "It was funny. Even if I could get the money - which, realistically, I very well could... {i}paying him off wasn't an option.{/i}"

                "Her being on the hook with him meant she was on the line with the Club."

                olly "Really...? Your boss must think she's one hell of a lay."

                "It was a twisted, parasitic relationship that ultimately benefitted my bottom line too. That was something I needed to remind myself of before my agitation changed its tune to moral contempt."

                mc "Will you leave?"

                olly "How did you manage to fall in with these fools? Hubby owes them money too?"

                rose "I-- uh..."

                mc "Our business isn't yours."

                olly "Oi, the balls on you! You're the one mucking about in other people's!"

                mc "You can tell me exactly what she owes."

                olly "..."

                olly "I'm going to leave today, but let's be clear. I'm going to come back tomorrow. And then the next day. And then the next day after that until everything's settled."

                olly "Every time I'm gonna be a little less happy."

                "That was fine."

                olly  "I don't know what business you have with her and I don't care. You and your boss are pissin' in my neck of the woods and that isn't okay."

                "All we needed was for him to be removed from our immediate reality and then we could figure out the future."

                olly "Hmpf. After all, let's talk about what she owes. "

                "That went easier than it had any right to."

                mc "Was he the only one here, Rose?"

                rose "Ummm- y-yes."

                "She looked so small right now, contrary to the veiled tenacity she had at the club."

                mc "Stay back with Rose."

                kil "That's not a good idea."

                mc "It's not, but I'm just going to talk to him down the hall. So, keep a lookout for both of us, alright?"

                "Ian looked like he didn't want to, but..."

                kil "Yeah, man. I'll keep an eye out."

                mc "Thanks."

                "We only ventured a little bit down the hall before Oliver stopped."

                olly "I want to be clear about something."

                mc "Yeah--"

                mc "Hnngggg-!!!"

                olly "{b}That.{/b}"

                "I had never been punched like that."

                play music "music/hypnosis.ogg"

                mc "G-gahhh-"

                mct "(Is this son-of-a-bitch a boxer or-- {b}s-shit?!{/b})"

                mc "*Cough, cough* Hnngg, haaaaa-"

                rose "[mcf]!"

                olly "You're a pussy. I knew that from the beginning."

                "I tried to bitterly suck down air, but my body resisted that notion. Every puff of air that passed through my pharynx {b}hurt me{/b}"

                olly "I'm not afraid of your boss. Be sure to include that with the message."

                kil "You son of a bitch!"

                "Agitation gave way to anger. My brain was in panic mode, trying to reconcile the fact that I could no longer breathe the way I was used to, and it compelled me to do something stupid and futile."

                    "{color=#FF1493}\[Strongman]{/color} Tackle him." if perk_strongman == True:

                        "I could hear Ian approach and I knew he wasn't bullshitting earlier. He outmatched us."

                        play music "music/ninja-tortoise.ogg"

                        "My only chance was--"

                        "Mustering every bit of strength in my body, I went low and fast and hard in a vain attempt to knock him off balance."

                        play sound "sound effects/thud-heavy.wav"

                        "Surprisingly, we both ended up on the dirty, cold floor. Now, I could only hope that Ian-"

                        play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

                        mct"{b}(Shit!{/b} That didn't have the impact we needed--)"

                        mct "(What the fuck?!)"

                        mct "(What the hell is that strength?)"

                        "He tossed me back like I weighed nothing and we found ourselves upright and each relatively unscathed, our slight advantage of getting him on the ground gone in an instant."

                        "{i}This was a mistake{/i}."

                        olly "Ahahaha-"

                        "He chuckled, inordinately amused by this outcome. We were out of our depths."

                        olly "How'd you blow that one, boys? You both should've pinned me."

                        "...and he knew he was dealing with amateurs."

                        "After, all four of us didn't make a sound or a move."

                        "Oliver was performing something of a cost analysis while I fruitlessly considered what my options were if this wasn't the end of it."

                        play sound "sound effects/door-open.wav"

                        olly "..."

                        neighbor "Is everything okay, Rose?"

                        rose "Ah, umm ehh--"

                        olly "See you around, boys. Remember to pass on my message."

                        "That was well-timed."

                        rose "Yeah, everything's good. Sorry for the commotion."

                        mc "...let's get inside. I feel like I'm about to puke."

                    "Attack him.":

                        "--!"

                        "He didn't even budge, and..."

                        play sound "sound effects/punch.wav"

                        "Every action has an opposite and equal reaction."

                        kil "Shit! [mcf]!"

                        "........."

                        "......"

                        "..."

                    "Resist the urge. Let him have his petty victory.":

                        mc "Stop! *Cough-* I'm fine!"

                        kil "What the fuck, bro? Don't just let him-"

                        mc "Don't fuckin' do anything!"

                        kil "Wh- ahh-"

                        mc "...it's cool. He just wanted me to pass along a message."

                        "No sense in letting this devolve further when he's already out the door."

                        olly "Smart. Stay down."

                        mc "...is that all you're going to dictate?"

                        olly "Let's be clear: the only reason I'm leaving is because I'm done here. You can't squeeze blood from a stone, but lucky for me, this slag found me a cactus."

                        olly "Tell your boss to come see me in person next time if he does want to buy the debt. Otherwise, {b}fuck off{/b}."

                        "That stupid mother fucker truly has no idea, huh?"

                        kil "Shit, man, you alright?"

                        mc "...let's get inside. I feel like I'm about to puke."

                    "{color=#696969}\[Strongman] Tackle him.{/color}" if perk_strongman == False:

            "Explain the situation calmly.":

                play music "music/landing.ogg"

                mc "We just need you to stop hassling her for a couple of weeks. That's for as long as we have business with her."

                olly "And what business is that?"

                "......"

                "..."

                mc "You don't need to know."

                olly "That's rich, considering you're trying to trample on mine."

                mc "It's not like we're asking you to forgive her debt. She owes what she owes, but is there any harm in cutting her a break until the end of June?"

                olly "You could ask me, \"What time is it?\" and I'll still tell you to fuck off. You're overstepping the bounds."

                mc "You can't get money that she doesn't have, but she is working on it. What's the point of hounding her and breaking her shit in the meantime?"

                olly "Oi, are we actually in the same line of work? What load of shite is that?"

                mc "We're not loan sharks."

                olly "What happened to \"I didn't need to know\", eh?"

                "We couldn't just come out with the truth. Besides not talking about the club, Rosalind's compensation was tenuous and wouldn't likely inspire confidence that he would get what he's owed after the two weeks were up."

                mc "She's performing for us."

                olly "Oh, yeah...? Now THAT is a surprise. They always do, but she acted like she was above that line of work."

                olly "How you'd fall in with these cocksuckers? Hubby owes them too?"

                rose "Um, well..."

                mc "It doesn't matter. Just give us two weeks."

                olly "Eh? Wasn't I clear? You're the improper fuckers here. The only courtesy I'm giving you is keeping this peaceable-like."

                mck "..."

                mc "What do you know about our boss? I'm starting to think the message wasn't relayed very well."

                olly "Enough to know he's a washed-up old timer who thinks he has pull. I've got a few boys and he doesn't seem to have much of a stake anymore, y'know?"

                "To be honest, I didn't know if his appraisal of August was correct. And even if August did have weight to throw around like he himself implied, I was just a suburbanite kid. I didn't have the gravitas that would convince the man in front of me otherwise."

                olly "Besides, it's the principle o' the matter. Whatever this sad bitch has going with your boss isn't my concern."

                    "{color=#FF1493}\[Social Chameleon]{/color} Bluff that he has a dangerous misconception." if perk_socialChameleon == True:

                        mc "That's the thing..."

                        "I did my best to sound cold, but I was aware of how I looked. However, I didn't have too many options now that {i}please{/i} failed."

                        mc "{b}It is your problem.{/b} You just don't know it yet."

                        "We wanted him gone and he didn't want to be gone, and this fucker spoke a particular language."

                        olly "You hear that line in a movie?"

                        mc "You're looking at us like you have nothing to be afraid of and you're right."

                        mc "We're nothing. You could kick our asses pretty handily, but it isn't us you have to worry about."

                        mc "We're not your problem."

                        mc "{b}August Byrnes is your problem.{/b} The only question is just how late will you be in recognizing it? Because that's the great thing about morons like you is that you make it easy."

                        mc "Have you ever heard \"Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young?\" August may be old, but that just means he's had time to find the pockets of people who are very much a problem for idiots like you."

                        mc "If you don't get smart quick, you're going to find his dick buried in your ass, choking on your blood and bleating like a stuck goat."

                        "We stared, unblinking at each other. On the absolute edge."

                        "......"

                        "...for what seemed to be way too long. I expected to get decked at any moment; there was no way that worked."

                        olly "You finished?"

                        kil "You really should call it a day and ask around before you make any hasty decisions."

                        olly "Let's be clear on something. I'll be back tomorrow, and if I see either of you again, I'm going to be less polite."

                        mc "See you tomorrow."

                        "That was all I was hoping for, to get him far away from us right now. Once that had been achieved, we could start thinking about the after."

                        play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

                        mc "-gh!"

                        olly "Full of air, are you?"

                        "......"

                        "..."

                        mc "How the hell did that work?!"

                        kil "Ha, bro, that was totally cringe! Bleating like a stuck goat?"

                        mc  "Whatever, it worked!"

                        mc "Let's get inside."

                    "Tell him that it will become his concern." if perk_socialChameleon == False:

                        mc "I would rethink that perspective. Our boss is a pretty scary guy."

                        olly "Is he?"

                        mc "You have no idea the kind of people he--"

                        play music "music/Darkdub.ogg"

                        play sound "sound effects/thud-heavy.wav"

                        mc "Ghh-?!"

                        play sound "sound effects/punch.wav"

                        kil "--!"

                        rose "Ah, s-stop--"

                        "It was fast, it was decisive, and it was absolute."

                        rose "-boys!"

                        "Neither Ian or I got up, our bodies a step ahead in recognizing what our brains, wracked with panic from still processing the sudden violence, did not."

                        "{i}Stay down.{/i} Do not get hit again."

                        "You can't breathe. You can't breathe. Youcantbreathe. YoucantbreatheYoucantbreatheYoucantbreatheYoucantbreathe. "

                        olly "Get the message?"

                        mc "Hnggg- I cant'-"

                        rose "Eehh, eeehh-"

                        olly "There's no worming your way out of what you owe me! Get it?"

                        rose "I, ehhh-"

                        olly "Right? Right?! You fucking get me?! Tell me you get it!"

                        rose "I understand!"

                        play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

                        rose "Gehh-"

                        olly " I swear to God. Some old fuck telling me to fuck off, you're lucky I don't--"

                        "It was overwhelming and brokered no discussion."

                        olly "I'm guessin' I'll see you boys later. I'll be around."

                        "Well... we wanted him gone and now he was gone. If only I could {i}breathe{/i}."

                        kil "Geeeuhh- what happened...?"

                        mc "*Cough, c-cough-!*"

                        mct "(Was I going to die?)"

                        rose "A-are you okay?"

                        rose "Oh, no. Oh, no. I'm sorry!"

                        mc "*Cough, cough!!!!*"

                        "Once we collected ourselves, we went inside."

                    "His concern is about money, so you play to that.":

                        mc "...then how about we cover what she owes for the next two weeks?"

                        "That WAS my original idea, before the old man erroneously assured me his name was good for taking care of this..."

                        olly "No."

                        mc "Just... no? Isn't this all about money?"

                        olly "You got it. And for whatever reason, and I got no inklin' as to why, these two weeks sound important to your boss..."

                        "He closed the distance, like a shark that smelled blood in the water."

                        kil "Back the fuck up, asshole."

                        olly "--and to top it all off, you've been disrespectful. so I'm not feelin' all that amiable, geddit?"

                        mc "...okay, then. What {i}will{/i} it take for you to leave her alone?"

                        olly "Settle her account, a dollar-twenty on the dollar for my trouble. "

                        "That seemed unlikely. Rosalind being on the hook to him meant she was on the line to the club, although thinking about it... getting her indebted to the club might be even better for \"our\" purposes..."

                        mc "I can ask our boss."

                        "Truthfully, I didn't know which was better for her, but my only goal right now was to get him to leave. Figuring out the rest could come later."

                        olly "Yeah, you do that and we won't have anybody stepping on each other's toes. Now..."

                        olly "......"

                        olly "...let's go out in the hall and continue this chat. I'm feelin' a bit cramped."

                        mc "After you..."

                        "With the vibes he was putting off, I didn't really want to turn my back on the guy."

                        olly "Y'know, I've kept shop for three years and it's always something."

                        olly "People always find a new excuse or new ways to try and weasel out of what's due, but the thing I love about this job, is that my part never changes. The solution is always the same."

                        olly "I haven't been clear enough about my displeasure about all of this."

                        "{i}Shit{/i}."

                        play music "music/Darkdub.ogg"

                        play sound "sound effects/thud-heavy.wav"

                        mc "-Ghhk!"

                        "In a flash, the loan shark had me pinned and breathless, weight bearing down from his tree trunk-like forearms and threatening to snap my neck."

                        kil "G-et off him!"

                        "Ian called out, but thankfully, he had enough sense not to move. If the large man wanted, he could have me choked out before my friend closed the distance."

                        kil "I said, get the fuck off him, asshole!"

                        "Ian tried again, but got no response in return. Instead, Oliver and I were doing all the communicating necessary."

                        "After all, the look on the mean man's face told me everything he had to say."

                        "It made clear his anger, showcased the outcome of fucking with him, and told me how lucky I was that this was the end of it."

                        mc "Ghhhk- yhhh-"

                        "I did my best not to panic and waste the little air I had left in my lungs, but as time passed I felt myself get dizzy-headed."

                        mc "Ghh, hhk-!"

                        mct "(W-wait, was this the end of it, he's not really going to--!)"

                        "That's when the panic set in. He was really going to choke me out."

                        mc "Hhhak, hhhg...!"

                        mct "(D-damn it, I get the message, you p-prick! Just-!)"

                        mc "*Cough* Gauhh- hhhaa..!"

                        olly "Hmpfh. Pussy."

                        olly "Tell your boss the next time he has a message, he should deliver it himself."

                        rose "[mcf]! Are you okay?"

                        kil "Goddamn it, bro. I didn't know what to do. Like, like--"

                        mc "It's cool, I'm fine, don't worry about it..."

                        mc "Let's just get inside. We need to talk."

                    "{color=#696969}\[Social Chameleon] Bluff that he has a dangerous misconception. {/color}" if perk_socialChameleon == False:

        mc "You're paid up in advance. You shouldn't be here."

        olly "Ah, so you're the git she got the money from?"

        olly "I honestly expected someone a bit older. Fleecin' kids out of their milk money, are you?"

        rose "See... I wasn't holding out on you. You can leave."

        olly "I'm hurt. You pretended like it was above you, but then you went and spread your legs to bleed money from some stupid kid?"

        olly "If you were going to use your body to settle things, there was no need for a middle man."

        rose "..."

        "He kept an eye on both of us, but it was clear that he thought lightly of the situation. He didn't regard us as threats."

        mc "You have your money. I don't understand what you're doing here."

        olly "Don't tell me my business. Until the account is settled, I keep an eye on my investments. 'specially when they pull five grand out of thin air and then refuse to answer my questions about it."

            mc "Well, you got it right, I'm the sucker that paid you. Now, would you please leave?"

            olly "I'll leave when I want to."

            kil "My friend asked you nicely. Get the fuck out of here, asshole."

            mc "Well, there you have it. I'm indeed the sucker that paid you. Now, {b}leave{/b}."

            olly "I get it, you're trying to look tough in front of the bird, so I'm not going to take offense at you telling me what to do."

            kil "Didn't you hear my friend? Get out of here, asshole."

        "Ian squared up next to me. That was a small relief, although I had no plans of this coming to blows."

        olly "That's very cute, coming from a pair of cocksuckers."

        "To be honest, I didn't like our chances. This guy knocked heads for a living, and no matter who got the worst of it, the only thing we would achieve is making things more difficult for Rosalind."

            "Keep calm and reason with him she doesn't need these reminders.":

                play music "music/landing.ogg"

                mc "...we're getting off on the wrong foot here."

                olly "Are we? How do you figure?"

                mc "There's no need to get into each other's face when you've already been paid."

                olly "You like repeating yourself, huh?"

                mc "I mean, the fact of the matter is, I just gave you five grand. That's a pretty good chunk of change and you're not helping things by putting the screws to Rosalind in the meantime."

                olly "Hell, I might just start swinging by {b}daily{/b}."

                mct "(Goddamn it...)"

                "The whole point of paying him in advance was to get Rosalind some breathing room, but like I suspected, this bastard is smelling blood in the water."

                kil "Sounds like a good way to get arrested, asshole."

                olly "You think I work alone?"

                rose "B-be reasonable... you'll get your money..."

                olly "I've been more than fair to you, cunt!"

                "My blood ran cold at the sight of Rosalind's fearful face."

                "Suddenly her reality wasn't just an abstraction anymore."

                "The anxiety-filled nights sobbing into a pillow, all the stiff-upper lips and fake smiles for her daughter... suddenly it all became very appreciable. I could see and hear it all, yet I knew I had no leg to stand on."

                "Her being on the hook to this bastard kept her on the line at the club, which in turn I made money from. That's something I tried to keep in mind, while I..."

                    "{color=#FF1493}\[Social Chameleon]{/color} Reassure him he'll get his money." if perk_socialChameleon == True:

                        mc "Hey, listen... I get it. You're just doing your job and this bitch has jerked you around, right?"

                        "This was about money and respect and our feelings, wants and sense of right didn't factor into it."

                        "The most expedient way of getting him to leave was appealing to those needs."

                        "Once he was gone, we could then figure out how to keep Rosalind secure until the competition was over."

                        mc "Talk to me instead. We'll come to terms."

                        olly "Oh? You think you can set terms?"

                        mc "Well, we can try. I know you're not getting much out of her proactively. That's a dead end, and I know you have other ways to extract it, but I have an easier solution for you."

                        olly "What's that, kid? You gonna borrow your mommy's credit card?"

                        mc "My friend and I? We shoot porn."

                        olly "Yeah, what about it? You don't mean..."

                        olly "Oi, fuckin' A. You're...?"

                        mc "Yeah, she's working for us."

                        olly "You don't look the part."

                        mc "It's a small production. You know, couple young guys fucking older women? We make those sort of videos."

                        "The man scoffed."

                        olly "Huh, they always act like that's beneath them at first. It's like pulling a tooth to get these dumb bitches to face reality."

                        mc "What can I say? I guess you drove her into my corner."

                        olly "You expect me to believe you paid her five grand? Unless you're morons, that's a pretty big take."

                        mc "For one video? Sure, but she's staring in a series of them. She really does look nice on camera."

                        olly "......"

                        olly "... okay, maybe you do look the part. But so, what? Your business isn't mine."

                        mc "Sure, but yours is fucking with mine. So let's figure this out."

                        olly "Keep talking."

                        mc "To start things off... I'm not paying off her debt. She isn't worth that to me."

                        olly "You're not as stupid as you look."

                        mc "I've already given her five grand, but... well, shit. We'll call it an investment. I'll cover what she owes over the next week and a half and then some on top of that to make it worth your while."

                        "The man looked me over, trying to catch a whiff of bullshit."

                        olly "You got an office?"

                        mc "We don't have a fixed location. We used friend's apartments, hotels, other places we rent... like I said, we're small and independent."

                        mc "...you think I'm bullshitting you? Doesn't money talk?"

                        olly "I want to know where I can find you."

                        "Like hell I'm giving this asshole my address."

                        mc "You can get the money from Rosalind, like last time - and after that, I want you to stop bothering her."

                        olly "I'll come by tomorrow then. And if she's not here or empty-handed, I'm not going to be happy."

                        mc "C'mon, let's talk."

                        rose "......"

                        kil "...that's my dude."

                        mc "I said {i}some{/i} on top. You're taking advantage."

                        "With the money we've already given him, he's asking for over half of what she owes. This prick takes us for suckers."

                        olly "I'll be here tomorrow."

                        "Not that I had any plans of asking the bosses for the money. Once he got paid, he'd be back in here a few days, attempting to leech more out of us."

                        "Plus, at that point, the club might as well just outright buy Rosalind's debt and hold it over her head themselves..."

                        mct "(Seriously, {b}goddamn it...{/b})"

                        mc "...wanna invite us inside, Rose?"

                        "We had to think of alternatives."

                    "Keep keeping calm and just get rid of him.":

                        mc "She's right. We'll get you more money."

                        "This was about money. The most expedient way of getting him to leave was to dangle some in front of him."

                        olly "And how do you plan on doing that, mommy's credit card?"

                        mc "I make good money at my job."

                        olly "Which is...?"

                        mc "I'm in IT."

                        olly "Oh. Of course, you are."

                        mc "As I understand it, Rosalind owes you a couple hundred dollars every three days. I can give you that every two, to cover the interest and then some, and then every other Thursday I'll pay you three grand until her debt is gone."

                        olly "You'd really go that far for this bitch? You in love?"

                        mc "You're not trying to talk me out of it, are you? Don't look a foolish gift horse in the mouth."

                        "I, of course, had no plans of paying him. At that point, the club might as well just buy her debt outright and hold it over Rosalind's head ourselves. I just needed him to think I was a sucker to get him to go away peaceably."

                        olly "......"

                        "Figuring out what the fuck we were actually going to do about this could come later."

                        olly "...you just seem a bit too eager is all."

                        olly "C'mon, let's talk."

                        mc "Stay here."

                        olly "I'll collect the money from Rosie. If she's not here or if she's empty-handed, I'm not going to be happy."

                        mc "We're not going to jerk you around."

                        mc "Don't worry--"

                        mc "Hnngggg-!!!"

                        "I had never been punched like that."

                        olly "I want to make myself clear."

                        play music "music/hypnosis.ogg"

                        mc "G-gahhh-"

                        mct "(Is this son-of-a-bitch a boxer or-- {b}s-shit?!{/b})"

                        mc "*Cough, cough* Hnngg, haaaaa-"

                        rose "[mcf]!"

                        olly "I want to be clear."

                        "I tried to bitterly suck down air, but my body resisted that notion. Every puff of air that passed through my pharynx {b}hurt me{/b}"

                        olly "If you want to be that bitch's wallet, fine. You're on the hook now."

                        olly "Just know I'll take it out on her if you jerk me around."

                        kil "You son of a bitch!"

                        "Agitation gave way to anger. My brain was in panic mode, trying to reconcile the fact that I could no longer breathe the way I was used to, and it compelled me to do something stupid and futile."

                            "{color=#FF1493}\[Strongman]{/color} Tackle him." if perk_strongman == True:

                                "I could hear Ian approach and I knew he wasn't bullshitting earlier. He outmatched us."

                                play music "music/ninja-tortoise.ogg"

                                "My only chance was--"

                                "Mustering every bit of strength in my body, I went low and fast and hard in a vain attempt to knock him off balance."

                                play sound "sound effects/thud-heavy.wav"

                                "Surprisingly, we both ended up on the dirty, cold floor. Now, I could only hope that Ian-"

                                play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

                                mct "{b}(Shit!{/b} That didn't have the impact we needed--)"

                                mct "(What the fuck?!)"

                                mct "(What the hell is that strength?)"

                                "He tossed me back like I weighed nothing and we found ourselves upright and each relatively unscathed, our slight advantage of getting him on the ground gone in an instant."

                                "{i}This was a mistake{/i}."

                                olly "Ahahaha-"

                                "He chuckled, inordinately amused by this outcome. We were out of our depths."

                                olly "How'd you blow that one, boys? You both should've pinned me."

                                "...and he knew he was dealing with amateurs."

                                "After, all four of us didn't make a sound or a move."

                                "Oliver was performing something of a cost analysis while I fruitlessly considered what my options were if this wasn't the end of it."

                                play sound "sound effects/door-open.wav"

                                olly "..."

                                neighbor "Is everything okay, Rose?"

                                rose "Ah, umm ehh--"

                                olly "I'll be back tomorrow."

                                "That was well-timed."

                                rose "Yeah, everything's good. Sorry for the commotion."

                                mc "...let's get inside. I feel like I'm about to puke."

                            "Attack him.":

                                "--!"

                                "He didn't even budge, and..."

                                play sound "sound effects/punch.wav"

                                "Every action has an opposite and equal reaction."

                                kil "Shit! [mcf]!"

                                "........."

                                "......"

                                "..."

                            "Resist the urge. Let him have his petty victory.":

                                mc "Stop! *Cough-* I'm fine!"

                                kil "What the fuck, bro? Don't just let him-"

                                mc "Don't fuckin' do anything!"

                                kil "Wh- ahh-"

                                mc "...it's cool. He just wanted me us to be clear on something."

                                "No sense in letting this devolve further when he's already out the door."

                                olly "Smart. Stay down."

                                mc "...I think we have an understanding?"

                                olly "I'll be back tomorrow for my first payment."

                                kil "Shit, man, you alright?"

                                mc "...let's get inside. I feel like I'm about to puke."

                            "{color=#696969}\[Strongman] Tackle him.{/color}" if perk_strongman == False:

                    "Switch gears. Threaten that he leave.":

                        mc "You should leave. {b}Now{/b}. Rosalind's current on her payment and you have no right."

                        olly "Oi, you're a broken record, aren't you?"

                        olly "I've made myself clear. I'll be back tomorrow and if she doesn't have anything for me I'm not going to be pleased."

                        mc "I got a lot of friends and we can also come by day after day."

                        olly "You don't want to play it that way."

                        mc "Don't I? You're not giving me much choice. Paying you didn't work."

                        kil "You have no idea who we work for. You ever hear of August Byrnes?"

                        olly "That supposed to mean something to me?"

                        kil "He's not the kind of guy you want to fuck with."

                        olly "*sigh* You're taking me lightly."

                        play music "music/Darkdub.ogg"

                        play sound "sound effects/thud-heavy.wav"

                        mc "Ghh-?!"

                        play sound "sound effects/punch.wav"

                        kil "--!"

                        rose "Ah, s-stop--"

                        "It was fast, it was decisive, and we practically asked for it."

                        rose "-boys!"

                        "Neither Ian or I got up, our bodies a step ahead in recognizing what our brains, wracked with panic from the sudden violence, did not."

                        olly "You understand it now, right?"

                        "If we got up, he'd hit us again."

                        olly "The two of you are pussies. Your supposed friends? I reck'n they're also pussies."

                        olly "I could take you all myself, but maybe next time I won't come alone."

                        rose "A-ahh, they didn't--"

                        olly "And you--"

                        olly "There's no worming your way out of what you owe!"

                        rose "I, ehhh- I wasn't-"

                        olly "Shut the fuck up unless you're telling me you get it!"

                        rose "I g-get it! I get it!"

                        play sound "sound effects/thud-floor.mp3"

                        rose "Gehh-"

                        olly " I swear to God. I'll break you're fucking legs if you try something like this again."

                        "It was overwhelming and brokered no discussion."

                        olly "If you don't want that, you best keep paying for this cunt. You stepped in shit, boys."

                        "Well... we wanted him gone and now he was gone. If only I could {i}breath{/i}."

                        kil "Geeeuhh- what happened...?"

                        mc "*Cough, c-cough-!*"

                        mct "(Was I going to die?)"

                        rose "A-are you okay?"

                        rose "Oh, no. Oh, no. I'm sorry!"

                        mc "*Cough, cough!!!!*"

                        "Once we collected ourselves, we went inside."

                    "{color=#696969}\[Social Chameleon] Reassure him he'll get his money.{/color}" if perk_socialChameleon == False:

            "Make a stand. Under no terms is he coming back until after the competition.":

                play music "music/Darkdub.ogg"

                "...indeed, fighting was a non-option, but he smelled blood. We couldn't look like pushovers or else he'd push it further and take advantage."

                mc "How are you trying to play this, asshole? You refuse to leave and then what? Going to stand around and twiddle your thumbs?"

                mc "You don't think she gets the message?"

                olly "Maybe this is about you making sure you get the message."

                mc "Stay the fuck away from Rosalind for the next week and a half, asshole."

                olly "What are you going to do if I don't?"

                "......"

                "..."

                mc "There's a lot of neighbors around. Making some noise might be more trouble than it's worth."

                "The goal was giving him an out without making him feel like he was backing down. I could only hope he was as cognizant of our surroundings as I was."

                olly "In my experience, neighbors tend to keep their nose out of it, but maybe you're right. There's nothing productive about this."

                olly "I'll leave now, but maybe I'll come back tomorrow, and the day after, and then the day after that. Just to keep the fire lit under your ass and keep your wallet open, geddit?"

                "Good."

                mc "Message received. Let's go talk about what she owes."

                "All we needed was for him to leave right now and then we could figure out the rest later."

                olly "After you."

                mc "...hey, Rose. It was just him, right?"

                rose "Yeah... he came alone."

                mc "...stay here."

                kil "I don't think that's a good idea."

                mc "I won't be long. Just keep an eye on both of us from here."

                kil "...got it."

                olly "So, what are you? In love?"

                mc "Are you trying to talk me out of paying for her?"

                olly "Your body language didn't say it. Your response was measured, too put together... especially for a kid."

                mc "You don't have to worry. I care enough to pay you."

                olly "..."

                "{i}Shit{/i}."

                play music "music/Darkdub.ogg"

                play sound "sound effects/thud-heavy.wav"

                mc "-Ghhk!"

                "In a flash, the loan shark had me pinned and breathless, weight bearing down from his tree trunk-like forearms and threatening to snap my neck."

                kil "G-et off him!"

                "Ian called out, but thankfully, he had enough sense not to move. If the large man wanted, he could have me choked out before my friend closed the distance."

                kil "I said, get the fuck off him, asshole!"

                "Ian tried again, but got no response in return. Instead, Oliver and I were doing all the communicating necessary."

                "After all, the look on the mean man's face told me everything he had to say."

                "It showcased the outcome of fucking with him and told me how lucky I was that this was the end of it."

                mc "Ghhhk- yhhh-"

                "I did my best not to panic and waste the little air I had left in my lungs, but as time passed I felt myself get dizzy-headed."

                mc "Ghh, hhk-!"

                mct "(W-wait, was this the end of it, he's not really going to--!)"

                "That's when the panic set in. He was really going to choke me out."

                mc "Hhhak, hhhg...!"

                mct "(D-damn it, I get IT, you p-prick! Just-!)"

                mc "*Cough* Gauhh- hhhaa..!"

                olly "Remember this."

                olly "I'm guessin' I might see you around."

                rose "[mcf]! Are you okay?"

                kil "Goddamn it, bro. I didn't know what to do. Like, like--"

                mc "It's cool, I'm fine, don't worry about it..."

                mc "Let's just get inside. We need to talk."

    play music "music/called-upon.ogg"

        kil "Shit man, you sure you're okay?"

        "What came after being laid out was more a vague impression rather than a recollection of events that I could say I experienced firsthand. I recalled a sharp pain, the strength in my legs giving out, and the plodding of my friend's feet as he rushed down the hallway."

        mc "Yeah, no... no need for a hospital, man. I just... ughh..."

        "As Ian explained to me after he helped me up and we had hobbled into the apartment, Rose had defused the situation by tactfully deploying one of a woman's strongest weapons: a sharp, frightful scream. A move that very well saved my friend from getting his ass beat, although he probably wouldn't admit it."

        mc "So, that was pretty uncool of me huh?"

        kil "What are you talking about? You got--"

        mc "A-ahk-"

        "It stung, but Rosalind's kind smile was a suitable salve."

        rose "Shut up. I..."

        rose "I appreciate you two checking in on me. I really do."

        rose "Although, he's definitely going to come back in a worse mood, so I kinda wish you didn't."

        "Well, at least she was being honest."

        kil "Uhg, that wasn't our best showing..."

        mc "{size=-5}Tell me about it...{/size}"

        "Thankfully, I hadn't died, but talking after getting punched in the throat proved a painful prospect."

        "There were no two ways of splitting it: we got completely trounced and we were now nursing our wounds in Rosalind's living room."

        kil "If he didn't sucker--"

        mc "Nooohh you {size=-5}wouldn't have.{/size}"

        rose "Here you go, boys."

        "It was absurd, but I felt embarrassed that Rosalind saw me get completely demolished."

        rose "Are you two...?"

        mc "Yeah. Rather wounded pride than a crushed trachea, right?"

        rose "Thank you both for checking in on me. I appreciate it, although..."

        rose "Although, I think it might've made things worse. He's going to come back in a worse mood."

        kil "What a fucking asshole. Acts like he's tough and then he sucker punches you?!"

        mc "You know we got lucky. That could have easily gone a lot worse."

        "On the face of it, it ended in a draw, but that guy completely handled us. He took our advantage and unraveled it in seconds."

        kil "You don't know that."

        mc "He blocked your kick without even looking at you!"

        rose "Here you go, boys."

        mc "Sorry about causing a scene with your neighbor."

        rose "Ah, it's okay... I'm thankful for you two checking up on me."

        kil "What fucking timing we had, huh?"

        rose "Hehe, yeah..."

        rose "Although, I kinda wish you didn't. He's going to come back in a worse mood."

        kil "What a fucking asshole. Acts like he's tough and then--"

        mc "He would've kicked our ass, dude. I was trying to avoid that."

        "Sure, my pride was a little hurt too, but better than a broken cheekbone."

        kil "I could've taken him!"

        mc "I saved you from an ass beating, dude."

        rose "Here you go boys."

        mc "Thanks."

        rose "No, thank you. I was shocked to see you, but I do appreciate you checking up on me. Only..."

        kil "Only what?"

        rose "Only I wish that you hadn't. I think it might've made things worse. He's going to come back in a worse mood."

        kil "I would've done something, but--"

        mc "I told you, it's cool. Stop talking about it."

        "All things considered, it ending at him threatening me wasn't the worst outcome. I'd much rather that than a cracked skull or a broken leg."

        kil "Cheap son of a bitch..."

        rose "Here you go boys."

        mc "Thank you."

        rose "No, thank you for showing up. I appreciate you checking on me."

        mc "Like I said, I had a feeling something was wrong."

        rose "I kinda wished you didn't though. He's going to come back in a worse mood."

        "After bullshitting our way out of a confrontation, the big question of what to do now loomed overhead."

        kil "What a fucking asshole."

        "The answers that came to mind were relatively obvious, but unpleasant."

        mc "You said it..."

        rose "Here you go boys."

        rose "Sorry about lying to you at the door, I--"

        mc "It's understandable."

        rose "I'm glad you two showed up. Thanks for that."

        kil "Don't mention it. [mcf] got one of his nagging feelings is all."

        rose "I'm glad, but I'm also... {b}not{/b}. I kinda wish you didn't. He's going to come back in a worse mood."

    kil "Well, fuck you too."

    rose "Don't be crass. I didn't mean it that way. I really do-"

    mc "{b}Sit down.{/b}"

    "Rosalind, true to fashion, obediently did as I asked."

    "I hadn't meant it to come out so commanding, but I tended to be terse when there's a problem at hand."

    mc "You alright?"

    rose "This whole year is going to be one I'll never forget."

    "Right, even if this was at the root of everything, dealing with harassment was just one ingredient in a whole shit sandwich."

    mc "Did he hurt you in any way before we got here?"

    rose "Not really... he just--"

    "Rosalind stopped herself as if weighing just how much of the truth she should share."

    mc "Be honest."

    "Another command, but I needed the full picture before deciding on our course of action."

    rose "...he just knocked me down a couple of times, shouting about how I was wasting his time and how I should just let his associates put me to work."

    mc "...and you don't want to do that?"

    "Normally it would be a stupid question, but considering how she was currently trying to get the money..."

    rose "Of course not! There's no telling how long it would take me to pay him back or if they'd even let me go, it's just too... well..."

    mc "Say no more, I get it."

    "Although, if she doesn't win the exhibition, that might just be her future anyway."

    mc "...I'll take care of this..."

    rose "Not that I don't believe you, but..."

    mc "I know. I thought we had gotten him out of your hair too, but evidently we will need to be more drastic."

    mct "(Was I seriously considering...?)"

        "(This morning I was in a tizzy about the people surrounding me, and now I was seriously thinking about just how easily someone like Warren or Jacob could get that asshole to extend the professional courtesy August spoke of.)"

        "(This morning I was in a tizzy about the people surrounding me, and now I was seriously thinking about just how easily someone like Warren or Jacob could break that asshole's legs...)"

    rose "I don't know... I think you might make it worse..."

    kil "When [mcf] says something will be taken care of, it'll be taken care of."

    "Ian, who had been quiet up to this point, picked now to interject."

    "I felt his confidence in me misplaced, but truth be told, I welcomed it right now."

    rose "I don't know, I think I can endure him coming around for another two weeks..."

    rose "It might be better to leave things be..."

    mc " A line has to be drawn."

    mc "Him being here today is proof of that. He knows your husband ran off and he's going to make sure you're cornered."

    "She did have a point though. Further meddling will just agitate him, meaning the club's next move would have to be decisive."

    mc "How would you feel if the club bought your debt? Does who you owe make a difference to you?"

    "I mean, isn't that something the club should've done in the first place? It would greatly simplify things while also potentially lining up a new star house girl coming hot off a failed exhibition."

    rose "You mean... I'd owe the club instead of Oliver?"

    mc "I don't know about the kind of work he'd put you up to, but at least the club is a known quantity. If you lose the exhibition and had to work there after the--"

    rose "I don't want that. I couldn't keep the charade up with Nora... I need this to be over with this month."

        "She was already in debt to the club for the five thousand Kathleen gave her, but there was no point in mentioning that right now."

    mc "You might not have a choice in the matter."

    "No matter if this got solved fiscally or {b}otherwise{/b}, I was pretty sure the end result would be the same: Rosalind {i}will{/i} owe the club."

    rose "By the way..."

    "Maybe that was the inevitable underlining to this whole thing. I saw it happen with Lucy, after all; she had lost, but the club still extended its claws."

    rose "I like your new hairstyle."

    mc "H-huh...?"

    rose "You've been looking kinda scary since we got into the apartment. I just wanted to say something nice."

    mc "Oh, uh... thanks."

    rose "You too. You look nice, Ian."

    kil "Aw, she's coming on to me. See that, [mcf]?"

    rose "...do you want me to make you something to eat?"

    "It was like she went into mothering mode to diffuse the tension."

    rose "It's the least I can do for my two heroes."

    mc "You mean your pimps?"

    rose "No... I know I didn't sound grateful, but it is nice {i}someone{/i} checked in. And even if it's your job..."

    rose "You were cool. And things like that, in tough situations, become a relief."

        mct "(Cool? I got my ass beat...)"

        mct "(Cool? We got our ass beat...)"

        mct "(Cool? All I did was get sucker punched...)"

    rose "So, it's not much, but how about some lunch?"

        kil "I can think of something I'd like to eat."

        rose "W-whaa...?"

        kil "Remember that threesome we have set up? I do believe you still owe us a good time, Mrs. Carter."

        rose "Ah, o-oh, y-yeah... do you two want to--"

        kil "--is something I'd like to say, but now's not really the right mood, is it?"

        rose "O-oh..."

        mc "You asshole. You should have seen her face."

        kil "She just looks mad."

        rose "I about jumped out of my skin."

        mc "He has that effect on women."

        "In his own way, Ian had lightened the mood."

        rose "I mean... it's got to happen sometime, right...?"

        mc "Like my friend said, now's not the time."

        kil "For the price I paid, you got to make it special. For one, you're not going to wear some crummy old rags."

        mc "It's more like we have other things to deal with right now. Get your things."

        rose "My things...?"

        mc "You're going to stay at my place for the time being."

        "Yet another command, but I wasn't going to leave her room to refuse."

        rose "I can't just... don't you think that's... he's going to think I-"

        rose "........."

        mc "......"

        rose "...I understand."

        mc "Good, Ian and I will clean up while you do. Wouldn't want to leave your home in a mess, right?"

        rose "Right!"

        mc "We'll pass."

        kil "Eh? I'm kinda hungry..."

        mc "You'll live. Right now..."

        mc "You should get your things instead. You're going to stay at my place for the time being."

        "Yet another command, but I wasn't going to leave her room to refuse."

        rose "I can't just... don't you think that's... he's going to think I-"

        rose "........."

        mc "......"

        rose "...I understand."

        mc "Good, Ian and I will clean up while you do. Wouldn't want to leave your home in a mess, right?"

        rose "Right!"

    "After reiterating to Rosalind that things would turn out okay and that I would keep a handle on the Oliver situation. We cleaned and packed and--"

    $ history_rosalind = "Rosalind will be staying with me for awhile, until her troubles get sorted out."

    play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "Got comfortable with my place, left  a key, and then--"

    play ambient "sound effects/city-night.wav"

    "It was time to see what could be done. Ian had some stuff to take care of, which was fine and dandy, as part of me preferred tackling this alone."

    "The way I saw it, it was either pay him off completely or scare him, none of which I was equipped to do, but maybe the bosses had a better idea."

    "However, the decision of who to bring it up to was made for me."

        "Mrs. Pulman was out and both August and Chuck were in the VIP room..."

        "Kathleen was out and both August and Chuck were in the VIP room..."

    play music "music/i-knew-a-guy.ogg"

    mct "(...this place has a monthly poker game?)"

    "That seemed almost quaint. There was only a couple of house girls milling about by the bar and neither was engaged in coitus."

    chuck "Aha, lad! Impeccable timing! We're down a man."

    "I quickly took stock of the room. There was the tenor, the chief of police, and Warren."

    mct "(The chief of police, huh...?)"

    jim "Yeah, sit down! I'm tired of losing to this goddamn cheat."

    mc "I actually came here because I had a problem with one of the Carnations that needs to be solved."

    chuck "Sit down."

    "Not one to be refused, my former mentor insisted."

    chuck "It's not so urgent that you need to bother us during our card game, is it?"

    "My gut reaction was to say that a card game wasn't important, but that would be an intensely foolish observation. These men had their priorities and the problems of a whore weren't very high on it."

    aug "He can speak about it if he wants."

    "Well, except for maybe August, but the Carnations weren't exactly his purview either."

    chuck "It's not like anyone's about to die, surely?"

    mc "I don't like to gamble."

    chuck "Call it an exercise in managing risk then, lad. Either way, sit down."

    "Dr. Chuck seemed insistent, but August seemed open to talking. The question was, business first or later? And was getting both their inputs better than just one?"

        "Business first. Ask August to talk privately.":

            mc "Can I talk to you for a second? Privately?"

            "There was no need to air the dirty laundry in front of the patrons, but I wanted to fill him in all the same."

            mc "Just by the bar. It won't take long."

            aug "...sure."

            "You guys give us a sec, huh?"

            mc "I didn't want to bring this up in front of the patrons."

            aug "I appreciate that. So, what's this about?"

                mc "Ian and I had a run-in with that loan shark you told off."

                aug "A run-in, eh? You bump elbows?"

                    mc "Something like that. He actually got a couple of good ones in and kicked my ass."

                    mc "He put both of us on our ass. {b}Hard.{/b}"

                    mc "It got a bit dicey. We barely escaped an ass-kicking."

                    mc "I got sucker-punched for my trouble."

                    mc "He was pretty {b}emphatic{/b} about telling you to fuck off or pay him."

                mc "Basically, he doesn't think you're shit."

                "I knew what I was doing. I was trying to get the man's pride involved."

                aug "The man's running a business. Try not to take it personally; that's my job."

                "...that wasn't quite the reaction I was expecting, but it was a reminder that he's been around the block a time or two before."

                mc "I'm not. But you did assure me you'd get him to stop bothering Rosalind."

                aug "To be honest, I kinda expected he wouldn't."

                mc "Really? You seemed pretty--"

                aug "You got to try asking nicely first, understood?"

                mc "I see..."

                "So, he anticipated this?"

                aug "After that, you don't have to ask so nice."

                "I didn't want to know the details, but I did have a relevant question."

                mc "Won't getting aggressive with him just make things more difficult for Rose?"

                aug "Jacob can be pretty convincing when he sets his mind to it. I think you'll find that asshole a lot more agreeable."

                aug "*sigh* Kathleen should've taken care of this from the start, but you see...  she likes problems like these."

                mc "Do I have your guarantee?"

                aug "You never had anything to worry about."

                mc "Ian and I had a run-in with Rosalind's loan shark."

                aug "...you good?"

                    mc "He kicked my ass."

                    mc "He put both of us on our ass. {b}Hard.{/b}"

                    mc "It got a bit dicey. We barely escaped an ass-kicking."

                    mc "I got sucker-punched for my trouble."

                    mc "Nothing worth complaining about, but he wasn't friendly."

                aug "Goddamn it, Kathy knows better to take care of these things before her little show even begins."

                mc "The thing is, we paid him enough to put her ahead a couple of weeks, so the exhibition won't have any problems, but--"

                aug "He saw an open wallet and is taking you for a sucker."

                mc "Precisely."

                aug "That's good business sense in that line of work."

                mc "Until everything's settled, he's going to ramp up the harassment. I'm coming to you about this, because, well..."

                aug "I'll have Jacob handle it."

                "I didn't want to know the details, but I did have a relevant question."

                mc "Won't getting aggressive with him just make things more difficult for Rose?"

                aug "He'll get the message across. I think you'll find him a lot less greedy."

                mc "Simple as that?"

                aug "Simple as that."

            mc "......"

            "Business was done, but..."

            chuck "You coming over, lad? We're still down a man."

            "{i}It would be the appropriate move to play a few hands.{/i}"

            mc "You going to comp me enough to play?"

            chuck "Bahaha, I know what you get paid. You can afford the buy-in."

            mc "Just trying to manage risk."

            chuck "Deal him in."

            war "Fresh meat."

            "So we played. Playing conservatively didn't seem to work."

            jim "Ahaha, finally!"

            "Playing aggressively got me walked all over."

            war "It's not your lucky day."

            "Soon, my competitive edge was whet, and I got lost in the moment - putting aside the business at hand and focusing wholeheartedly on a game I had no hope of winning."

            mc "I raise!"

            mc "Ah, shit."

            vinc "You lose some, you lose some."

            "...it just dawned on me, I had never played poker in my life, Texas Hold'em or otherwise."

            "The downside of a single mother, I guess."

            jim "What's so amusing?"

            mc "I think I'm getting the hang of this."

            "There was a social currency involved here that outvalued dollars and it would be foolish not to avail myself to it."

            mc "Let me buy back in."

            "........."

            "......"

            "..."

        "Sit down.":

    "Part of me wanted to note that not playing {i}was{/i} managing risk, but that would be another foolish observation. There was a social currency involved here that outvalued dollars."

    mc "What's the buy-in?"

    "...and refusing Dr. Chuck thrice, would run detrimental to my goal of getting someone with a bigger stick than me to do something about the problem that fell in my lap. "

    chuck "You can afford it. I've seen your paycheck."

    "........."

    "......"

    mc "...deal me in."

    "So we played a few hands."

    "I played conservatively and gained no ground."

    jim "Ahaha, finally!"

    "I played aggressively and got walked all over."

    war "It's not your lucky day."

    "Soon, my competitive edge was whet, and I got lost in the moment - putting aside the business at hand and focusing wholeheartedly on a game I had no hope of winning."

    mc "I raise!"

    "Eventually, when I had felt like I had paid the toll, and had earned the acceptance of the room..."

        mc "By the way, that loan shark didn't do as you asked."

        "I moved onto why I was here."

        aug "Oh...?"

        "The old man looked lost in thought, as if trying to pinpoint exactly what I was talking about."

        aug "Ah, that was what was likely to happen. No self-respecting man shows his belly without good reason. I'll take the next step."

        mc "...and what's the next step?"

        aug "Giving him a good reason."

        "While I understood there was a natural escalation, I couldn't help but feel like paying him off would've been preferable to a protracted dick-measuring contest."

        "I was burned once by his reassurance and I wanted this to be the end of it..."

            "Try to rile August up.":

                mc "I hope you'll take care of it. That loan shark acted like you weren't shit."

                war "Ha! Just came out and said it."

                "I knew what I was doing, in front of Chuck and the other patrons, I was trying to twist the old man's pride to my ends."

                mc "I'm not the one who said it. All I'm saying is Ian and I had a run-in with the prick. It wasn't very friendly."

                chuck "A run-in...? He didn't threaten you, did he?"

                "Suddenly, Dr. Chuck seemed a lot more interested in the problem."

                    mc "Actually, he got a couple of good ones in and I got my ass kicked. He was pretty emphatic in telling you to fuck off or pay him."

                    mc "He sucker punched both of us and put us on our ass. He was pretty emphatic in telling you to fuck off or pay him."

                    mc "It got a bit dicey. We barely escaped an ass-kicking. He was pretty emphatic in telling you to fuck off or pay him."

                    mc "I got sucker-punched for my trouble. He was pretty emphatic in telling you to fuck off or pay him."

                    mc "He was pretty {b}emphatic{/b} about telling you to fuck off or pay him."

                chuck "You should've started with that from the moment you walked in the door."

                chuck "You allowed this to happen?"

                aug "You don't need to fuss like an over-protective parent, you know men get into tussles sometimes. Hell, I remember your Army days, Charles."

                chuck "That was different. It was all in good fun, and when it wasn't, we took care of our own."

                aug "And I will take care of it, with provocation on my side."

                "August looked a little unhappy."

                aug "It's not like I expected the boys to have a dust-up over this, and even if I did, I can't just send Jacob to have a discussion with the man without good reason."

                chuck "Make sure you do. I don't like people putting hands on what's mine, but I'm leaving this up to you since your nose is already in it."

                    "He didn't actually touch us, but it was to my benefit not to dispute that..."

                aug "Kathy should anticipate these kinds of problems and plan for them accordingly, instead of leaving it to me and [mcf] to solve. She should've settled the account before the show even began."

                chuck "Perhaps, but you know exactly why she didn't and {i}we{/i} tolerate those proclivities because we're family."

                mc "So, I have your assurance that Rosalind won't have anyone beating down her door for awhile?"

                aug "Give it a few days."

                "I didn't want to know the details, but I did have a relevant question."

                mc "Won't getting aggressive with him just make things more difficult for Rose?"

                aug "Jacob and Warren can be pretty persuasive when they need to."

                war "We work real nice together."

                "...there I had it. What was hopefully the end of this matter."

                aug "It won't blow back on Rose, I can assure you of that. All you'll find is that asshole will become a lot more agreeable."

                mc "......"

                mc "...what are we waiting for, let's keep playing."

                "........."

                "......"

                "..."

            "Suggest the club buys the debt and simply be done with it.":

                mc "...wouldn't it be easiest to just buy the debt? If she wins the exhibition, it's cleared all the same. If she loses, she can owe the club."

                aug "That's what Kathy should've done from the onset, but now I'm handling it, eh?"

                mc "I just think that would be the quickest and least likely option to impede the exhibition."

                mct "(...and it would mean Rosalind wouldn't have to see him tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day.)"

                aug "He ignored my request."

                "Part of part of me wanted to say \"so, what?\", but that was the third stupid thing to cross my mind."

                    chuck "...this about that thing with the sad-looking lass?"

                    "...the one you didn't want to have anything to do with?"

                    mc "That's the one."

                    chuck "...what's this about?"

                    mc "One of the Carnations is having trouble with her personal circumstances."

                chuck "You know I'm not a fan of the way you handle things, Augie."

                aug "I would sooner not clean up someone's mess, but it is perpetually left up to me. Despite being equipped to do it, neither of you ever seem to want to."

                chuck "You're not the same young man you were anymore. You should think outside the box, in a way befitting the company you now keep."

                aug "What do you mean...?"

                aug "I'm still surrounded by crooks, aren't I? The only difference is the company I used to keep was a lot more honest."

                chuck "Baha! You fuck!"

                "He looked at Jim when he said that, but I had a feeling he meant Dr. Chuck too."

                jim "Fuck you, bottom feeder."

                chuck "This man's a loan shark?"

                aug "It's a small operation."

                chuck "That must mean he's into some other things too, yeah? Prostitution, money laundering, stuff like that?"

                aug "More or less."

                chuck "My, my, my... sounds like you've been derelict in your duties, Jim. How can you be sitting here playing cards while criminals are proliferating in the street?"

                jim "........."

                chuck "......"

                jim "...yeah, alright. I'll take care of it."

                mct "(...what? It was that simple? The thought had crossed my mind when I entered the room, but--)"

                aug "You really going to ruin a businessman's livelihood for no good reason like that?"

                chuck "He ignored your request."

                jim "It'll let you know when it's handled. It may be a day or two."

                chuck "That's fine."

                mc "...what happens to Rosalind's debt? If he goes to jail, isn't she..."

                chuck "Don't know. We'll just have to see how well she does these next two weeks."

                aug "*Sigh* Kathy sure does like watching the gears turn."

                chuck "She keeps it interesting."

                "With just a request that sounded more like an order, he got the city's police chief to take care of something that Dr. Chuck didn't even care about."

                mct "(...he's just showing off, isn't he?)"

                mc "...what are we waiting for, let's keep playing."

                "I was starting to see the enormity of the people I was surrounded by."

                "........."

                "......"

                "..."

        mc "By the way, I had a run-in with Rosalind's loan shark."

        aug "Is that right...?"

        mc "Yeah, me and Ian, to be exact. It wasn't very friendly and he made a lot of threats."

            mc "You see we paid him off in advance for a few weeks, but he just--"

            aug "Took you for a sucker."

            mc "Kathleen paid him a few weeks in advance, but he hasn't let up. In fact, it made it worse. He--"

            aug "He took you for a sucker?"

        mc "Exactly."

        chuck "...were you guys hurt?"

            mc "I got my ass beat."

            mc "Ian and I got our asses handed to us."

            mc "It got a bit dicey. We barely escaped an ass-kicking."

            mc "Not really, but I got sucker-punched for my trouble."

            mc "All I'll say is he was pretty {b}emphatic{/b} about making sure we keep paying."

        chuck "...I don't like that."

            "I internally scoffed at Dr. Chuck's change in concern, given he refused to help earlier, but I was also thankful that this got his interest."

        aug "*Sigh* Kathleen should've settled the account in the first place. Fickle bitch."

        chuck "Be that as it may, he needs to be taken care of. He put his hands on one of ours."

            "He didn't actually touch us, but it was to my benefit not to dispute that..."

        aug "I'll handle it like usual."

        chuck "The thing is your usual way is unimaginative and dull, and unbefitting of the company you now keep."

        aug "Well, I'm the only one who doesn't sit on their ass around here, eh? It doesn't really matter how you do it if he never threatens the boys again, eh?"

        "There it was: an opportunity to get things done. I had their interest, the only question was how to capitalize on it."

            "Suggest you solve it simply and to the point.":

                mc "I think we should just buy out her debt; that's the simplest and most direct option."

                "At the end of the day, the ultimate goal was to get Rosalind some relief."

                mc "If she wins the exhibition, it's cleared all the same. If she loses, she can owe the club."

                chuck "I would agree with you if he didn't disrespect my nephew and you."

                mc "Like Mr. Byrnes said, he was just doing his job."

                chuck "Aye, and that's his prerogative. Just as it's my own to not allow people to trample on what's mine."

                mct "(I mean, at the end of the day, what did I care about how this got solved?)"

                "Killian's assurance from last night rang in my mind."

                "{i}All I'm saying is he wouldn't use violence; he's not the type. I'm one hundred percent certain of that. At worse, the person would just wish they were dead.{/i}"

                chuck "This man's a loan shark?"

                aug "It's a small operation."

                chuck "That must mean he's into some other things too, yeah? Prostitution, money laundering, stuff like that?"

                aug "More or less."

                chuck "Handle it."

                jim "Excuse me?"

                chuck "How can you be sitting here playing cards while criminals are proliferating in the street?"

                jim "........."

                chuck "......"

                jim "...yeah, alright. I'll take care of it."

                mct "(...what? It was that simple? The thought had crossed my mind when I entered the room, but--)"

                aug "You really going to ruin a businessman's livelihood for no good reason like that?"

                chuck "I don't need a reason, but I say I have a pretty good one."

                aug "I don't like bringing the cops into this."

                chuck "As the Drill Sergeant liked to say, tough titties."

                aug "...it's your call."

                jim "I'll let you know when it's handled. Maybe a day or two."

                chuck "That's fine."

                mc "...what happens to Rosalind's debt? If he goes to jail, isn't she..."

                chuck "I guess we'll just see how the next two exhibitions go, won't we?"

                "With just a request that sounded more like an order, and like paving over a mountain to get a better view, he got the city's police chief to deconstruct the entire problem."

                mct "(...he's just showing off, isn't he?)"

                mc "...what are we waiting for, let's keep playing."

                "I was starting to see the enormity of the people I was surrounded by."

                "........."

                "......"

                "..."

            "Angle for August to handle it.":

                mc "...Mr. Byrnes is right. He's not going to relent because it's his job and he has no reason to."

                "We had tried paying him, but now was the time to point someone at him who could speak his language."

                mc "This is your wheelhouse, right?"

                aug "It's not my first rodeo."

                mc "...do you think you can get him to back off?"

                aug "I'll do more than that. I'll put Jacob and Warren on it."

                "I didn't really want to know the details, I just wanted the reassurance."

                aug "I think you'll find him a lot more agreeable after that."

                war "Heh. Payday."

                aug "Is that okay with you? As always, it's your call."

                mct "(I mean, at the end of the day, what did I care about how this got solved?)"

                "Killian's assurance from last night rang in my mind."

                "{i}All I'm saying is he wouldn't use violence; he's not the type. I'm one hundred percent certain of that. At worse, the person would just wish they were dead.{/i}"

                chuck "Have I mentioned how much I disdain your go-to touch? You have a lot more resources at your fingertips than you did when you were young."

                aug "I'm not trying to impress anyone. I'm in the company of crooks all the same."

                jim "Fuck you."

                aug "So, should I dance for Kathy?"

                chuck "... *sigh* Fine. Since you speak that scumbag's language; just make sure you're as clear as a bell. Leave {i}no{/i} room for misunderstanding. I want no margin for even the dumbest mother fucker to go get ideas about hassling my nephew and [mcf] ever again."

                aug "Thy will be done, Charles."

                vinc "Andrea! Get over here! The mood's getting a bit thick!"

                aug "Give it a few days, kid."

                vinc "Nothing a fat-ass redhead can't change for the better!"

                mc "......"

                mc "... Vincenzo's right. What are we waiting for? Let's keep playing."

                "This was the company I now keep, despite all the mind-wringing I did earlier. At least, I could make it work for me."

                "........."

                "......"

                "..."

    play sound "sound effects/door-openclose.wav"

    play music "music/jazz-piano-bar.ogg"

    "When I returned home, it was evident that Rosalind had been busy."

    "The rich and hearty smell of simmering meat wafted through the open door and I found the woman tucked away in the kitchen, wiping down the counter."

    mc "Hey honey, I'm home."

    "A joke, but the moment her ears registered my greeting, she froze and returned a sheepish reply."

    rose "Uh... {i}heh{/i}... welcome back."

    "As if being caught red-handed doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing."

    rose "It was awkward just sitting around, so I..."

    mc "Good thinking. I'm starving. I haven't eaten all day."

    mc "I'm sorry about just leaving you here, but as messed up as it is..."

    rose "I don't really have a say in this situation."

    "Rosalind was a flower at the mercy and whims of the wind. Her husband, Oliver, the club..."

    "She landed in this situation thanks to her husband's malfeasance, and now her reins were handed off to another, all in a short span of time that she had no say over."

    mc "That's gotta be frustrating, huh?"

    "She didn't speak up, but I got an answer all the same. She looked weary and out-of-place, her shoulders slumping as if trying to disappear into the background."

    mc "Tired?"

    rose "A little."

    "Perhaps she was coming down from the earlier excitement, but..."

    mc "You can have my bed if you want to lay down."

    rose "It's not the kind of tiredness that goes away from a nap."

    "In a moment of honesty from the poker-faced woman, she said what I was thinking."

    rose "...how'd it go?"

    mc "Talking to the old farts? Give it a few days and everything will be settled."

    rose "What does \"settled\" mean...?"

    mc "It means that unwitting bastard walked into a land-mine and blew himself to bits without even realizing it."

    rose "...?"

    mc "In short, he'll be off your back. {b}Most certainly{/b}."

    rose "Oh..."

    mc "Two or three days and you'll be good to go home. If Oliver calls in the meantime, just don't answer it."

    "........."

    "......"

    rose "...got it."

    mc "I bet you still wish I never interfered."

    rose "No... it's {i}something{/i}."

    "She willed a bit of life back into her face as her lips formed into a pale smile."

    rose "Two or three days away from home doesn't sound so bad."

    "That admission surprised me a little. I wasn't sure if she was trying to convince me or herself."

    mc "You think...?"

    "But as soon as my question left my lips, the answer unfolded itself in my head."

    rose "I don't know... I guess?"

    "Home simply didn't feel like home."

    mc "You have the run of the place then."

    rose "Thanks, [mcf]..."

    "It was two or three days to feel a little more {i}removed{/i}."

    rose "If that's the case..."

    rose "You said you're starving?"

    "I nodded my head in affirmation."

    mc "What's in the pot?"

    rose "You had a mishmash of ingredients, so I made a stew. I hope it's to your liking."

    mc "A stew sounds {i}really{/i} good."

    "To be precise, a home-cooked meal from a lovely woman sounded like a salve after the day I was having."

    rose "Go eat. I've kept it hot."

        "If this was part of a seduction, she had really stepped up her game since her first foray."

        "Even weary and out-of-place, she was full of charm."

    "My feet followed after her, spellbound, on my stomach's volition."

    rose "...I'll spoon it out. Wash your hands."

    mc "...yes, Ma'am."

    "......"

    "..."

    "While I gobbled up the stew, Rosalind took care of the dishes. I was emphatic about leaving the clean up to me, but it was like talking to a wall."

    rose "The rest is in the fridge if you want some more."

    mc "I'll have some more later. Are you not going to eat?"

    rose "It's late."

    rose "I'll just push through to dinner."

    rose "How was it?"

    mc "{i}Really{/i} tasty and {b}especially{/b} filling."

    rose "Heh, good."

    "A tiny smile tried to go unnoticed on her face."

    rose "I didn't know if I added enough salt or not. It can be tricky when you're working freestyle."

    mc "Do you cook a lot?"

    rose "As much as I can, which is... {i}tough{/i} nowadays."

    rose "By the way, I noticed your clothes hamper was full..."

    mc "...you're not here to do chores."

    rose "You said I had the run of the place."

    mc "I meant for you to be comfortable."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 0, channel = "ambient")

    play ambient "sound effects/ringing-inbound.wav"

        rose "What else am I going to do? You wanna screw?"

        rose "I like to stay--"

    mc "Is it Oliver?"

    rose "Unlikely... given the time, it's probably..."

    rose "It's my daughter."

    "A blood-curdling look impelled me to keep my trap shut and stay silent."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "ambient")

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    rose "Hey honey. How are you? How's camp?"

    "The thing is, I wouldn't have been able to utter a single word even if I wanted to."

    rose "Oh, really? That's too bad. Did you bring it up to your counselor?"

    "Rosalind's face shone with a luminosity that rendered me speechless."

    rose "Don't be pessimistic. You may be right, they probably won't do anything about it... but it's guaranteed nothing will be done if you just keep it to yourself."

    "It was a common, everyday exchange between mother and daughter, yet..."

    rose "Me? The usual. I've been making a dent in my reading list."

    "...it was like the persevering woman's walls instantly crumbled before my eyes, and I was catching a bare glimpse of something I had no business being privy to."

    rose "No, I'm not going to..."

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    rose "I miss you very, {i}very{/i} much. I'll talk to you later, enjoy your swim--"

    play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

    rose "..."

    rose "Heh. She always hangs up before the other person finishes speaking..."

    "The Rosalind before me, for a fast fleeting moment, was a night-and-days difference from the woman who had walked into my apartment."

    "Not that she wasn't lovely in the first place, but {i}her present affectation was so intensely attractive.{/i}"

    play music "music/lobby-time.ogg"

    mc "So, I've got a question for you."

    rose "Okay...?"

    mc "Do you... {i}regret{/i} how things have turned out?"

    "On the face of it, that was a stupid question, but its roots had abruptly taken hold in me."

    rose "That's random..."

    mc "You just looked really happy after you got off the phone."

    "Intellectually I understood how much she cared for her daughter, and it was evident from her actions, but seeing her {b}positively glow{/b} was another thing entirely."

    mc "It was like I caught a glimpse at the absolute best version of you right now."

    "And, even though they're different people, with different circumstances, it was a question I'd never be able to ask my own mother."

    rose "Uh... isn't that how it goes?"

    mc "What do you mean?"

    rose "Everyone's got that one, two, or handful of things that cuts through the {i}blah{/i} and keeps you going."

    "How it goes indeed..."

    rose "Life would be dreary if you had nothing, right?"

    mc "True, but I do think you're a little atypical, Rosie."

    rose "Not really, but let me ask you a question..."

    mc "You didn't actually answer mine, but okay. What?"

    rose "What makes the day easier for you? What do you think about when things get difficult or annoying?"

    mc "I don't know... does that make me dreary?"

    rose "Really? You can't think of a thing?"

    rose "......"

    rose "..."

    mc "......"

    mc "..."

    rose "Uh, so... what were you asking?"

    mct "(She thinks I'm a sad sack!)"

    rose "...if I wish things were different?"

    mc "...I wanted to know if you would do anything differently if you could. About any of this."

    rose "No."

    "She didn't even think about it."

    mc "Simple as that?"

    ## TD: try to figure if we've ever given this fucker a name before

    rose "I was naive when I married Clive, but that man through all his faults and blunders, gave me the center of my world. If I wouldn't change that, then I have to accept everything after as a consequence."

    mc "Isn't it messed up? In the scheme of things, what you owe that prick isn't a lot of money, yet..."

    rose "Not a lot...?"

    mc "I said in the scheme of things."

    "She looked at me like I was a privileged twat."

    rose "Maybe it's not a lot to someone like you, but when you're left with almost no money and the interest is piling on and on, it might as well be a million dollars."

    "{i}...was I a privileged twat?{/i}"

    rose "I mean, should I have sold my car? It's worth only a quarter of that and I {b}need{/b} it."

    rose "Start selling off all my other belongings? Try to find someplace cheaper to live in {i}this{/i} city? Uproot my daughter from her life and flee?"

    mc "Good points..."

    rose "How does a woman like me make money quickly? There's a reality to this and we both know the answer... and I was close to putting up an ad on the internet when Mrs. Pulman dropped this in my lap."

    rose "No, I wouldn't do anything different, even... {i}this{/i}."

    mc "I admire that."

    "It was fucked up but she had mettle."

    "I don't know why the thought crossed my mind, but If she did lose, she had the mettle to make her gains as a house girl."

    "She kinda reminded me of Dalia..."

    rose "I'll take this."

    "This woman was ridiculous. Cooking for me, cleaning up, doing my laundry... and she had only been here a few hours."

        "Do something nice for Rosalind. Probably.":

            mc "Nuh-uh. No way."

            rose "...could you be a bit more clear?"

            mc "Stop playing housewife."

            rose "...don't tell me what to do."

            mc "Take a load off."

            rose "Sitting around doing nothing isn't taking a load off."

            mc "You're right, but you're not going to sit around doing nothing."

            mc "Come on!"

                rose "Wait, if you want to have sex let me take a shower--"

                rose "Wait, what are you--"

        "Let her get her chore on":

            mc "Yeah, go ahead."

            "I myself understood the comfort in staying busy. If she wants to do housework while she's here, well..."

            mc "Do what makes you happy."

            "Good for me."

            "Some time passed, and..."

            "Heh. So much for not being the kind of tired that needed sleep."

            mct "(She must have really been exhausted...)"

            "Me too, actually. Today had been hectic."

            "Between the Abel-induced existential crisis and dealing with the Rosalind thing, I felt emotionally drained."

                play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

                "*Bleeup!*"

                "It was nice having a housemate again..."

                mct "(Rosalind can be my first line of defense if Abel nosferatu'd himself through my door while I'm sleeping.)"

                mct "(Veronica...)"

                play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

                "*Bleeup!*"

                mc "...?"

                call message_start("Veronica", "Decided to get drinks last minute.") from _call_message_start_25

                call message ("Veronica", "9431 Henenlotter Lane. The Hideaway.") from _call_message_81

                call message ("Veronica", "Come if you want, but you don't have to.") from _call_message_82

                "......"

                "..."

                mct "(She acts so stupid...)"

                "That saves me the trouble of figuring out what to do."

                "I considered inviting Rosalind along too, but I didn't really know how that would play with Veronica."

                "Inviting me out to drink was already a big show of trust for the Amazon, and despite my pretenses, Rosalind was her competitor..."

                mct "(Yeeeeeah... still in the same clothes from yesterday.)"

                "A shower and change was in order, so I let Veronica know she could expect me in about an hour."

                "{i}She didn't respond{/i}."

                "It was nice having a housemate again..."

                "......"

                "..."

                    "{color=#FF1493}\[Rosalind Deal]{/color} It {i}really{/i} was nice having a housemate again." if roseFlag == True:

                    "You had a nice night in, watching a movie.":

                    "{color=#696969}\[Rosalind Deal] It {i}really{/i} was nice having a housemate again.{/color}" if roseFlag == False:

    mc "Sit down and relax."

    rose "Nothing helps you relax like being told to relax..."

    mc "I get it. You're a do or think kinda gal."

    mc "I'm the same way. Constantly looking for outlets for my nervous energy."

    mc "You try to be frank with yourself on an intellectual level, hoping it will unravel that knot of anxiety in your stomach, but in reality you're just playing mental abacus and shuffling it around."

    rose "...and how does one do that?"

    mc "I guess it depends on the person, but do you find housework relaxing? Be honest."

    rose "Not really..."

    play music "music/select.ogg"

    mc "Yeah, just something to do isn't the same as letting off some steam, is it?"

    mc "Although, I think you were on the right track when you said being away from home was a silver lining."

    "With one hand, I began to gently knead Rosalind's neck, in a blind attempt to make her feel nice."

    mc "In reality, what you miss is picking up after your daughter, don't you?"

    rose "Of course, I do... this is the longest she's ever been away from me."

    mc "That must make a difficult situation even harder."

    rose "That feels... nice..."

    "A little physical comfort to go hand-in-hand with some empathy and understanding. That was what I was aiming for."

    mc "Good. Just clear your head, think about the stuff that keeps you anchored, and let me bumble in my attempt at a massage."

    rose "We'll try it your way..."

    mc "Thank you, cause let me tell you. You feel {i}tense{/i}. You've got knots in your shoulders."

    "That was what people said during this type of thing, right?"

    rose "Mmhm..."

    "{i}I couldn't actually feel the knots{/i}."

    mc "In the meantime, tell me something. Do you and your daughter have a place that you'd both love to go?"

    mc "As in a dream vacation or whatever?"

    rose "Paris..."

    rose "I don't even remember who first thought of it, but it became a {i}thing{/i}."

    rose "I always pictured us going after she graduated, but that thinking that far ahead is... inconceivable."

    mc "Isn't a long time from now a comfortable thought?"

    rose "Yeah... I can't wait to see her grow into a young woman..."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "What's your favorite food?"

    rose "Ah, mmmhhh... there's a local place, Harry's, that has the BEST cheeseburgers..."

    mc "Sounds like dinner."

    rose "Ah, yeeeah... that would be good... their fries are to die for... the seasoning is just..."

    mc "Hungry?"

    rose "I think I'll order two later..."

    "I could see she was coming around on the idea of taking it easy."

    mc "That's the spirit. The next few days, just... {i}indulge.{/i}"

    mc "Catch up on any shows you're behind on, order and eat anything you want, and just give it time for you to become sick of doing nothing."

        mc "Consider it part of our deal, okay?"

    rose "Uh, huh... mmmh... yeah... I'll try..."

    "Rosalind was even more tired than she let on. Quickly and surely, the tension vanished from her body."

    "Her shoulders went slack and all resistance to my touch, the involuntary twitching and readjusting for comfort, dissipated."

    "In minutes, her breath evenly slowed, and I knew her consciousness was fading."

    mct "(She really must be exhausted...)"

    "Me too, actually. Today had been hectic."

    "Between the Abel-induced existential crisis and dealing with the Rosalind thing, I felt emotionally drained."

    "I didn't really know what to do, but I kinda just felt content sitting here..."

        play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

        "*Bleeup!*"

        "It WAS nice having a housemate again..."

        mct "(For example, Rosalind can be my first line of defense if Abel nosferatu'd himself through my door while I'm sleeping.)"

        mct "(Veronica...)"

        play sound "sound effects/sms-chime.wav"

        "*Bleeup!*"

        mc "...?"

        call message_start("Veronica", "Decided to get drinks last minute.") from _call_message_start_26

        call message ("Veronica", "9431 Henenlotter Lane. The Hideaway.") from _call_message_83

        call message ("Veronica", "Come if you want, but you don't have to.") from _call_message_84

        "......"

        "..."

        mct "(She's so stupid...)"

        "That saves me the trouble of figuring out what to do."

        "I considered inviting Rosalind along too, but I didn't really know how that would play with Veronica."

        "Inviting me out to drink was already a big show of trust for the Amazon, and despite my pretenses, Rosalind was her competitor..."

        mct "(Hmm...?)"

        "A shower and change was in order, so I let Veronica know she could expect me in about an hour."

        "{i}She didn't respond{/i}."

        "It was nice having a housemate again..."

        "......"

        "..."

            "{color=#FF1493}\[Rosalind Deal]{/color} It {i}really{/i} was nice having a housemate again." if roseFlag == True:

            "You had a nice night in, watching a movie.":

            "{color=#696969}\[Rosalind Deal] It {i}really{/i} was nice having a housemate again.{/color}" if roseFlag == False:

    "It looked like a fairly nice place from a quick internet search, so why not dress the part?"

    "It was silly."

    "New haircut, nice clothes..."

    "I was feeling like a million bucks. I hated them, but..."

    mct "(Contacts it is.)"

    "Taking a page from {i}She's All That{/i}..."

        play sound "sound effects/ringing-inbound.wav"

        "*Ring, ring...*"

        play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

        mc "Hey, how's it going?"

        hana "Just checking in. Seeing how you're doing."

        play music "music/modern-situations.ogg"

            hana "Don't expect any masturbation though."

            hana "That's a thing people do, right?"

        mc "I'm good. I'm about to meet Veronica for some drinks."

        hana "...you see the Carnations a lot outside of the club?"

        mc "I do..."

        mc "In fact, Rosalind's spending a few days at my place right now."

        hana "...yeah?"

        mc "What, jealous?"

        hana "Of course not, but what's the situation?"

        mc "The guy she owes money to tore up her place."

        mc "It was a whole thing today."

        hana "A thing...?"

        mc "Yeah, I almost got killed."

        hana "What?!"

        mc "Sorry, that was a joke. I'm exaggerating."

        hana "...do you have to deal with crap like that?"

        mc "Apparently. We can't all be bourgey owners, y'know?"

        hana "What about Veronica? Is she okay?"

        mc "Yeah. Just trying to keep morale up there."

        mc "The old woman laid into the Carnations hard yesterday."

        mc "What about you? What are you up to?"

        hana "Well, this bourgey bitch is playing bartender for a birthday party."

        mc "Whose birthday is it?"

        hana "Jim's."

        mc "No shit? I played cards with him today."

        hana "Seems like we're both in ass-kissing mode then."

        mc "August put you up to it?"

        hana "He thought it would be good for me to be around."

        "......"

        "..."

        mc "Keep your chin up."

        hana "I'll try. And you be safe tonight, okay?"

        mc "Will do. I'm on my way out the door, so--"

        hana "Bye, [mcf]."

        play sound "sound effects/phonemenu.wav"

        mct "(Heh, alright...)"

        mct "(Now where did I put my...)"

        mct "(Now where did I put my...)"

        "Rosalind was still asleep when I ventured out, so I left a note and put in a timed delivery order for those burgers she wanted."

        "A whole sackful of them."

        "Rosalind was still asleep when I ventured out, so I left a note and put in a timed delivery order for a pizza."

        "Not quite home cooking, but it's the thought that counts, right?"

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    play music "music/timeless.ogg"

    $ date = "june16night"

    "Veronica's chosen hole-in-the-wall was aptly named."

    "A meager sign-posting on a side of a building led to a long stretch of stairs, and at the top of it all..."

    "{i}A hideaway{/i}."

    "A forest of people tucked away from the city, amidst a mingling of herbal scents and the faint smell of acetone."

    "...and there was Veronica, easy to spot as the tallest tree in the forest."

    "One thing that I noticed..."

    mc "So, a gay bar, huh?"

    "That was clear enough. As I ventured into the foliage, there was a conspicuous lack of {i}stamens{/i} amongst the flowers. "

    mc "I'm out of place."

    ver "[mcf]..."

    "Veronica gave me a curious look up and down."

    bart "You don't have to worry. No one here is paying attention to you, sweetheart."

    ver "Huh. You don't clean up so bad..."

    mc "I'm not used to seeing you in regular clothes, either."

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "He's a {i}friend.{/i} We work out together, so don't get any ideas, Karli."

    karli "Like that helps? I know exactly the kinds of things you get up to with both your workout partners."

    ver "This is Karli."

    karli "Charmed to meet you, [mcf]."

    ver "She owns the place."

    karli "When Frankie told me she was waiting for someone, I was curious about {i}what{/i} was going to walk into the door."

    mc "Frankie...?"

    mc "You two must be good friends."

    ver "As a bartender, serving me drinks."

    karli "Ha! I officiated her wedding."

    mc "And here I thought she was just standoffish with me."

    karli "Aw, naaaaw... Frankie here is a sweetie."

    karli "She's just afraid of being teased about it."

    karli "By the way... can I see your ID?"

    mc "Uh... yeah?"

    ver "Don't pull out your wallet. She's fucking with me."

    karli "I could lose my license serving a minor."

    ver "I'm going to the bathroom. Get it out of your system while I'm gone."

    "......"

    "..."

    karli "What are you drinking?"

    mc "Rum with coke."

    karli "You guys really friends?"

    mc "Did you really officiate her wedding?"

    karli "Liliana is my goddaughter."

    mc "Ah..."

    mc "I'm {i}trying{/i} to be her friend. Getting some drinks was my idea and--"

    mc "...it took a few steps to get here. Enough steps for it to turn into Veronica's idea."

    karli "Well, this one's on the house if you keep trying, alright? And the next one too, since I haven't seen Frankie in ages."

    "Right, yeah... drinking was a luxury she really couldn't afford right now, was it?"

    mc "Hey..."

    "And here I was casually asking her out to do it."

    mc "This place always this busy on a Tuesday?"

    karli "It's a little on the slow side. Why do you ask?"

    mc "Just a random question..."

    "Seeing all these faces, I wonder if Veronica ever considered running a women's only gym? I mean, surely she had?"

    mc "Seems like you do pretty good."

    karli "I like to think of us as a pillar of the community."

    mc "Hmmm..."

    "I also couldn't help but notice a couple of women who had their eyes glued to Veronica in the short time I was here."

    mc "I bet {i}Frankie{/i} is pretty popular around here."

    "She looked at me like she was trying to figure out what I meant."

    karli "She's a striking woman, I guess."

    "That probably came off as a weird question, but it was a good reminder of just how magnetizing Veronica was."

    "It was easy to forget when you've paraded her around like a dog and viewed her getting demolished by a monster strap-on."

    karli "She used to get approached a lot because of her looks."

    karli "Quite a few have had their eyes on her tonight. Better watch yourself, gym partner."

    mc "Thanks..."

    ver "You tell him how you got that scar?"

    karli "He didn't ask."

    mc "How'd you get that scar?"

    karli "Eating pineapple."

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "Don't feel bad. No one ever laughs at that."

    mc "...say hello to my little friend?"

    ver "Come on, let's go drink in private."

    ver "Keep 'em coming, Karli."

    mc "I'm glad you reconsidered about tonight."

    mc "It's been an unusually stressful day for me, so it's good to blow off some steam."

    ver "Yeah...? Tell me about it."

    mc "Just club stuff on top of club stuff; the details aren't so important. So, what made you change your mind?"

    ver "I didn't change my mind. I decided to go out and then I just happened to remember that you asked earlier."

    mc "Right, right... yeah."

    "I wanted to burst out laughing, but refrained."

    mc "And how are you tonight?"

    ver "I'm out drinking with you, aren't I?"

    mc "Pffh-ha!"

    "This time I didn't bother."

    ver "...your treat, you said?"

    mc "Did I--"

    mc "... ah, that seems like a fair trade for your time and company."

    "*Glug, gluh, glug...!*"

    mc "Although, I won't be offended if you slow down."

    ver "Aaaaaah~ work hard, play hard. I don't half-ass things."

    mc "I'm pretty fond of saying that too..."

    ver "So, no... seriously... what's stressful about your job? Genuinely asking."

    mc "...someone broke into my house last night and then I had to deal with one of the girl's homes getting smashed up by an asshole."

    ver "It isn't just all bubblegum and fucking whores?"

    mc "Evidently not, but should I complain? It's hard to call any of what I've been asked to do up to this point work."

    ver "Why even be a doctor then?"

    mc "Hopes and dreams aside, I don't reckon playing gopher for a prostitution ring is a long-term, sustainable career path."

    "Just as Veronica's lips were starting to look lonesome, a drink appeared."

    ver "*Sigh* Alright, then..."

    mc "Alright what...?"

    "*Glug, glug, glug*...!"

    "Just as quickly as the glass met her mouth, the contents disappeared down her gullet."

    ver "You give me no choice but to play the role of older sister tonight. I'll just have to teach you how an Olympian lets loose."

    "Just as I had hoped, she was more receptive to coloring the night as her doing me a favor."

    ver "Hurry up and finish your drink."

    ver "I want to go move my body."

    mc "You want to dance? With me?"

    ver "It's not a marriage proposal, you dweeb."

    mct "(Alright, let's...)"

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "You can take the lead."

    ver "Let's go."

    ver "YOU KNOW--"

    "Veronica raised the pitch of her voice, to be heard over the music."

    ver "I don't care who you are... you could be the best damn conversationalist in the world, but NOTHING is more revealing than dancing with a person."

    mc "I don't think that's a good basis for judging character..."

    ver "Of course it isn't, but it's a starting point!"

    play music "music/ily-baby.ogg"

    mc "It's not like we're meeting for the first time."

    ver "{b}We might be.{/b}"

    mc "Oh...?"

    ver "Well, have we {i}met{/i} before?"

    mc "Well, I've seen you--"

    ver "~not listening."

    "Veronica took the lead, spinning on her heels and corralling my attention to her waist with a flick of her hips."

    "A flick that continued on, to-and-fro, teeter-tottering back and forth in pursuit of the music's rhythm."

    "The way Veronica moved her large frame was magnetizing, a snake-charming package of power and womanly wiles that defied my preconceptions."

    "She was lithe."

    "She was graceful."

    "It was like her body was made for dancing. Not throwing a lead ball, not preening on a stage, but {i}writhing{/i}."

    "Twisting."

    "Bending, curving, {i}wriggling{/i}."

    mct "(I really shouldn't be too surprised...)"

    "My mind went back to the first week's exhibition..."

    ver "What's the matter? Not properly lubricated?"

    "Resting behind her glasses was a light unseen, an expression adrift from reality, and the totality of a woman being blown along by the music as if it was the wind."

    ver "You don't have to force yourself, but come on... move your hips, [mcf]. Show me a bit of who you are."

    "Most of all, Veronica was offering me a sledgehammer to break the ice."

        "Dance...?":

            mc "Alright, you asked for it..."

            "I willed myself to do something, {i}anything{/i}, and the result went how you'd expect it."

            mc "This is what I got!"

        "Dance...!":

            mc "Alright. It's just moving your body, let's--"

            "I jumped into it. It's not like I've never danced before, and even though I admittedly felt a little more out-of-place than usual, I knew enough not to try to match her."

            mct "(Just take it easy...)"

    ver "That's more like it!"

    "The pair of us squared away, doing our own thing in pursuit of the music's beat."

    mct "(She didn't seem drunk, but...)"

    mc "How much did you drink before I got here?"

    ver "What? None!"

    "Was she always capable of this? Could she be this easygoing?"

    mc "You must really, REALLY like to dance!"

    ver "I wanted to be a dancer when I was a kid!"

    mc "No shit? Like ballet?!"

    ver "No! Like in music videos! I wanted to moonwalk!"

    mc "Really?!"

    ver "Is it? Well, my mom even bought me a fedora for a talent show!"

    mc "Ha! And what about pole dancing?"

    ver "Not a childhood dream, but it's... {b}fun!{/b} Closest a dumbass like me gets to feeling creative!"

    mc "Eh? You're not dumb!"

    ver "Yes I am, but let's not get into it!"

    mc "YOU'RE NOT DUMB!"

    ver "Just focus on moving your tush!"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "You know what?! I think I need to get more drinks in you."

    mc "Ha! You say that to all your dates?"

    ver "This isn't a date."

    mc "So, what? You don't like my dancing, then?"

    ver "I didn't say that! I just think you can still loosen up!"

    mc "Are you sure you're just not trying to take advantage of me?"

    ver "...I'm going to go get some more drinks. You can decide what you want to do."

    mc "{size=-5}I don't think she likes my dancing!{/size}"

    mc "Sure, alright! Get me one too!"

    "Tonight I resolved myself to put the mantra \"I'm not a big drinker\" out of mind."

    mc "Wait, for real? They measure where the shot lands by hand?"

    "Bring on the hangover."

    ver "No. That's fucking weird!"

    mc "...really?"

    play music "music/timeless.ogg"

    "A few rounds later we were still going toe-to-toe."

    ver "...and what about you?"

    mc "What about me?"

    ver "You never thought, \"Hey, that guy's cute!\"?"

    mc "Not really."

    ver "Not even an \"Eh, why not?\" sort of way? I mean a pretty face is a pretty face."

    mc "Any hole is a goal?"

    ver "I'm not saying don't have standards! It's just, out of all the men in the world, there's no one you would go gay for?"

    mc "What, like a celebrity pick?"

    ver "Sure, we can go with that angle."

    mc "Mmmh, well... I don't think banging Sonny Chiba is ever in my cards."

    ver "Hold on, who's that?"

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "Well, {b}that's{/b} an interesting pick."

    mc "I didn't pick anyone."

    ver "Yeah, yeah... point is, human beings are preeeetty fucking adaptable when the situation calls for it."

    mc "...hmm, do you think that applies to everything?"

    ver "What do you mean?"

    mc "Do you think other things in life - beliefs, conviction, love, right and wrong, and {i}whatever{/i} is subject to the whims of circumstance?"

    ver "Of course not!"

    "She said it confidently."

    ver "There's stuff in life that is set in stone. North, East, South, West... {i}basic human decency{/i}, the golden rule..."

    ver "...the only thing that fucks shit up is what's going on up here, but no matter how twisted up you get, there's a right and wrong. {b}Fuck yeah, there is.{/b}"

    mc "That kind of perspective suits you, like a valorous knight."

    ver "Ahah! And how should I take that?"

    mc "From a place of goodwill, I hope."

    ver "Psssh, idiot. What about you? Do you think all of life is so wishy-washy?"

    "..."

    "..."

    mc "...should I go get us another round?"

    ver "Not so fast. Answer your own question!"

    mc "Well... I know that there's people in my life I want to see happy and things that I very much hope stand the test of time."

    mc "I don't need that written into the DNA of the universe to pursue those feelings."

    ver "Alright, good enough. You can go get us another drink."

    mc "Although, if I'm being intellectually honest..."

    ver "Nope, you had it right the first time. Go."

    mc "Be right back."

    mc "Two more, please."

    karli "Coming right up, Captain."

    karli "Enjoying the atmosphere?"

    mc "Oh, absolutely."

    mc "It's nice to finally just drink in peace without anyone hitting on me."

    woman "You know, not everyone here swings that way."

    mc "Sounds like a bad fielding strategy."

    woman "I'm here with my friend. She's new to this."

    mc "New to bars?"

    woman "New to picking up women and hooking up."

    woman "She's over there."

    mc "Oh yeah... she's cute."

    woman "Yeah, fucking adorable and looking for some fun."

    mc "Why are you telling me this then?"

    woman "Well..."

    woman "My friend is interested in your friend."

    mc "You're a good friend, huh?"

    woman "Nah, she's a better friend than I deserve."

    woman "Looks like she didn't have any luck. She's been eyeing your friend all night."

    woman "She made her move as soon as you got up. Isn't that some shit?"

    mc "Not everyone has a wing-woman like you."

    mc "So you want me to help or something?"

    woman "I don't know your situation, but I think you're cute and hoping you might keep my friend in mind if the big girl over there is looking for a cute, inexperienced thing."

    woman "If you do that, maybe we can all be friendly with each other."

    mc "You're a REALLY good friend, eh?"

    woman "Maybe. We'll be here another hour or two."

    "Like that, she went back to her friend."

    mct "(Well, her friend is pretty cute... and probably a good morale booster for Veronica to end the night with.)"

    mct "(Maybe I should keep that in mind.)"

    karli "Well, that was interesting."

    mc "I've bet you've seen a million things like that play out with your job.."

    karli "I've got my stories."

    mc "Have one ready for me when I come back."

    karli "Sure, they're complimentary!"

    mc "So, leggy models aren't your type?"

    ver "Not tonight. She didn't strike my fancy."

    ver "Besides, I don't want to be rude. You and I are drinking."

    mc "You're fucking kidding me? She was pretty hot."

    ver "Don't look at me like I'm stupid. I'm valorous, remember? You said it yourself."

    mc "Well, I appreciate you not abandoning me like some loser."

    ver "I appreciate you inviting me out tonight. It's better than being cooped up in a closet."

    ver "...It's a frail thing, but I did say we'd be friends."

    "Like an alcoholic exclamation mark to emphasize her sad point, Veronica tossed back her head and imbibed."

    ver "The alcohol is warming my body, the dancing is fun, and your company has been surprisingly... {i}inoffensive?{/i}"

    mc "My mother always said if they don't find you handsome, let them find you... {i}inoffensive.{/i}"

    ver "I did say you clean up nicely, didn't I?"

    mc "That was a joke, not a setup for a compliment."

    ver "I know, but doesn't it feel nice to hear? What was the occasion?"

    mc "Just a whim, but I'll admit it, I did end up feeling pretty good about it afterwards. It's kinda silly, isn't it?"

    mc "How small things can affect your mood, I mean."

    ver "The little things matter more when you're starved for positivity. That's something I've learned through my work."

    mc "Does complimenting your clients keep them paying you?"

    ver "My job is to make people feel good on both the inside and out, and positive reinforcement helps keep people healthy."

    mct "(Positive reinforcement, huh?)"

        "Tell her she looks nice too.":

            mc "You look good tonight too."

            ver "You're the type who can't stand compliments, huh? Gotta give one after you get 'em?"

            mc "No, I {i}really{/i} like the way you did your hair."

            ver "You noticed that, huh?"

            mc "How could I not? It's on top of your head."

            ver "I just threw it up."

            mc "Really? Not a strand's out of place and you usually wear your hair up differently."

            ver "Well, shouldn't look like a slob. I'm a known face around here."

            mc "Karli said it's been a while since you've been here."

            ver "Yeah, it has..."

            mc "Let's make the most of tonight then."

            ver "...what do you have in mind?"

            "If I really wanted to demonstrate my goodwill, I needed to be bold, maybe at even the cost of my pride..."

        "Pet her head and call her a good girl.":

            mc "Like a dog?"

            ver "Shut up. Don't you even go th--"

            mc "Good girl... {i}good girl{/i}..."

            "Perhaps it was the alcohol that caused me to risk my hand, but it nevertheless found a playful perch on top of Veronica's noggin."

            mc "What? You were just extolling the value of positive reinforcement. Isn't this how you do it?"

            "My head rub became even more intense as I enveloped my fingertips in her fiery-red hair and finagled my way to her scalp."

            ver "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

            "That was a look that didn't find {i}any of that{/i} as endearing."

            mc "Sorry... uh..."

            mc "I guess invading your personal space wasn't as funny as I thought. Heh."

            ver "Definitely not drunk enough to be petted in public, you weirdo."

            mc "Ah, but it'd be cool in pr--"

            ver "......"

            "..."

            "Okay, let's not compound my faux pas. Let's do something to redeem myself."

    "I could invite her to dance again, and further enjoy the two of us spending time together or alternatively I could go invite that bubbly girl and her bookish friend to join us."

    "If everything went well there, the night might end prematurely for me, but I will have done God's work in getting two women to bang."

    mct "(Hmm...)"

        "Let go of {b}ALL{/b} your inhibitions and invite Veronica to dance.":

            mc "Leeeeeet's..."

            mc "Let's dance. I'm lubed up and you're about to be {b}impressed.{/b}"

            ver "Nice phrasing."

            mc "Come on. The dance floor is calling our names."

            "{i}I turned on the cheese.{/i}"

            ver "That's perhaps the most agreeable thing that's ever come out of your mouth."

            mc "Who says you only get one chance at a first meeting?"

        "Play wingman for Veronica.":

            mc "How about I find us some cute girls to drink with? That way you won't be ditching me."

            ver "...you're going to go try and pick up women at a lesbian bar?"

            mc "I can be charming when I want to."

            ver "No you can't."

            mc "Wanna bet?"

            ver "...what are we betting?"

            mc "If I find us a couple of girls, and convince them to come drink with me, you'll call me \"your highness\" the rest of the night."

            ver "What do I get?"

            mc "Doesn't matter, since I'm going to win, but something?"

            ver "Make it your majesty, dweeb."

            mc "Alright. {b}Bet.{/b}"

            ver "Bet."

            mc "Be back in a jiffy."

    "With mismatched strides, we lumbered the short distance to the dance floor."

    mc "Lucky me, this is my song."

    "I was about to fully embarrass myself, but that was okay."

    play music "music/drop-the-tapes.ogg"

    ver "{b}This{/b} is your song?"

    mc "Yeah! Never heard this before in my life, but..."

    "In an act of necromancy, I threw caution to the wind."

    "Bone and ligament came to life, bending unnaturally under the control of a rum-fueled spell of black magic."

    "I was by no means a dancer, but... it was funny."

    mct "({i}Was dancing hard?{/i})"

    "Simple repetitive movements and a rare case of body over mind."

    "Just don't think about what you're doing."

    "Just don't conceive of even the faintest possibility of looking stupid."

    "The moment you feel a pang of doubt, {i}that's when you become stupid{/i}."

    "At least that was my utterly {b}soaked{/b} line of thing."

    "{i}Maybe I did look stupid, but who cares?{/i}"

    mct "(Did I know ANY of these people?)"

    "No."

    "The only person I'll see again is Veronica and her expression said it all."

    ver "Geez..."

    "She found this amusing."

    ver "You're uh... {i}night and day.{/i}"

    mc "Impressed?"

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "Fuck, I'm not even going to lie. Kinda."

    "That was ALL I wanted to hear, all I needed to, before my mind retreated back into oblivion."

    "Words required logic, and logic risked getting tangled up in treacherous tendrils of inhibition."

    "{i}And right now, I was saying fuck you to inhibition{/i}."

    "Why? What had possessed me?"

    mct "({i}I don't know.{i})"

    "Maybe I was under the delusion that I was proving something to Veronica, that despite circumstance, in the very depths of my being existed a genuine stand of goodwill."

    "Could stupidly shaking my body accomplish that?"

    mct "{b}(Fuck you doubt!){/b}"

    "Another thing in a long list of things not to think about."

    ver "Hmm... alright, alright... you really are full of surprises."

    "The only thing I needed to think about was..."

    mct "(The music.)"

    "In some ways, it was like fucking."

    "The same principle applied, at least."

    "Physical exertion. {i}Losing yourself.{/i}"

    "Then the thoughts receded into feelings."

    "{i}Memories{/i} of feelings that hung like stalactites from my brain."

    "{i}Happy memories.{/i}"

    "Memories that, absent of ego, colored my being a lovely, warm shade."

    ver "......"

    ver "..."

    "What the hell was any of this?"

    "I had no idea."

    "Not."

    "A."

    "Single."

    "Fucking."

    "Iota."

    "I just let the music groove me, my hips following the cries of the horn and letting my arms ride the highs and lows."

    "I had never moved like this before in my life, and I had a feeling, I might never again."

    "Was this what they called divine inspiration?"

    "Divine intervention?"

    "Serendipity?"

    "All I knew is it made my body tingle."

    "My calves burned."

    "All my meaty insides were sloshing around."

    mct "(Duh, duhduh, duhduh, duuuuh, dduhduhhh.)"

    mct "(Bzzz, buuuh, buh, buh!)"

    ".................."

    "..............."

    "............"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    "Just kidding! It's not over!"

    ".................."

    "..............."

    "............"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    mct "(Fuck yeah, I was--)"

    "--!"

    "Shit. I got a bit too into it and fell on my ass."

    ver "Pffh, haa- haa! That was..."

    "My self-awareness came flooding back."

    "The floor was dirty and I had a few pairs of eyes on me, but..."

    ver "S+ for effort, [mcf]."

    mc "Really...?"

    ver "You should've seen yourself."

    mc "I bet I looked like an idiot."

    ver "You look like someone I want to dance with."

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "Come closer, they're playing my song."

    mc "It's still the same--"

    ver "{b}Exactly.{/b}"

    "So we danced."

    "We weren't just two people dancing next to each other."

    "We were dancing together."

    "So we danced, body to body, imbued with a feeling of goodwill."

    "Maybe Veronica was onto something. Maybe you could learn a lot about somebody from the way they danced."

    "If that was the case, what did I learn about Veronica...?"

    "Nothing revelatory."

    "Just the first page of a long book, but at least it felt like I had finally cracked it open."

    "She felt things strongly, both good and bad. Through her mindfulness of my own movements, she showed care and patience."

    "There was a fun, sensual streak absent in her exhibition persona that she was willfully putting on display here."

    "Yeah... she was onto something."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "...who needed words?"

    "We stubbornly refused to let go of the goodwill of earlier. Instead, we absconded with a bottle of coffee liquour and made our way into the cool summer night."

    "......"

    play ambient "sound effects/waves.ogg"

    "..."

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/edm-detection-mode.ogg"

    ver "Goddamn it."

    mc "Impressed? This is Olivia and Brittany."

    $ history_veronica = "I took Veronica out and played wingman for her, hoping some brief fun would be a nice reprieve from her troubles."

    play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    mc "Turns out, Olivia has had her eyes on you all night."

    brit "Isn't she cute? Mind if we drink with you?"

    olivia "Um... h-hello."

    ver "...{i}hey.{/i}"

    "Veronica looked very amused by the nerdy girl's faltering tone."

    ver "I'm Veronica."

    olivia "...you're taller up close."

    "For a moment, it looked like Olivia was running the calculation in her head and liking what was outputted."

    ver "You're deceptively forward, aren't you?"

    olivia "...a-ah... was that awkward of me to say?"

    ver "I'm okay with forward."

    brit "Olivia's coming out of her first relationship with a woman and this is her first time trying something like this."

    olivia "{size=-5}Don't tell her that, she's going to think I'm a...{/size}"

    ver "I get it, break ups are hard, but you want to meet new people and it's hard. I've been there."

    olivia "...you have?"

    ver "Yeah, I'd love for you two to join us."

    brit "Awesome!"

    brit "We'll take over here."

    "...{i}I was caught.{/i}"

    ver "You set me up. You don't think I saw you and blue-hair talking?"

    mc "Isn't it on you if you didn't think something was amiss when I was so confident about our bet?"

    "......"

    "..."

        "Insist on the bet.":

            mc "A bet is a bet, Veronica."

            ver "So it is, your highness."

        "You were just messing around. Let the terms of your bet go. ":

            mc "Alright. Point made. The bet is invalidated."

    mc "Cute girl though, isn't she?"

    ver "She reminds me of someone."

    mc "Who?"

    ver "You."

    mc "That's offensive. Do you think everyone with glasses and brown hair looks alike?"

    mc "...or does that mean I'm cute?"

    "Two or four people, it turned out, didn't make much of a difference. The locale's offerings were just the same."

    "Drinking..."

    "Dancing..."

    "Drinking, some more..."

    brit "No shiiiiiit?! That means you were on TV?!"

    "Olivia had her mousey charms and Brittany was {i}quite{/i} friendly."

    ver "Just briefly."

    olivia "Wow, that's..."

    "Every so often, Veronica would steal a conspiratorial glance, looking at ease."

    "{i}This was a good call{/i}."

    ver "Not really!"

    "More people meant it was easier to forget about just how we were connected in the first place. One-on-one, the club lingered, but in a group... it was pure socializing."

    brit "...so, what do {b}you{/b} do for work, [mcf]?"

    "Plus, it was just nice being able to sit back and not feel like I had to keep the conversation going."

        ver "His highness is an investment banker."

        "Veronica swooped in, deftly saving me from the chance of fumbling my lie."

        brit "Really? Huh!"

        ver "He's an investment banker."

        "Veronica swooped in, deftly saving me from the chance of fumbling my lie."

        brit "Really? Huh!"

    ver "I mean, doesn't he look like a prick? He's got a lot of money though."

    "...was that her version of playing wingman?"

    brit "Pftt-! You two are an odd pair!"

    mc "You're one to talk, considering how different you two seem to be."

    brit "It's symbiotic. I like to yak my head off and she's good at listening."

    mc "Same, but instead of listening, I give Veronica someone to scowl at."

    ver "I don't scowl, I... uh-"

    mc "Glower? Grimace?"

    ver "Shut up!"

    mc "See...? See what I mean? But she makes it work for her, {i}real{/i} smoldering intensity."

    olivia "Hehe~ Brittany's right. You two are funny. How long have you known each other?"

    ver "Would you believe me if I said we met for the first time tonight?"

    olivia "No...?"

    brit "Absolutely not!"

    ver "I guess it just feels like it then."

    ver "...so literature? What's your--"

    brit "Hey, you."

    mc "They seem to be getting along."

    brit "Yeah, and I should say thanks for helping me get Liv out of her shell."

    mc "Thanks received, but my friend has been having a tough time too. So, {i}symbiotic{/i}."

    brit "Is that why you're here tonight?"

    mc "Well, I don't normally drink at lesbian bars."

    brit "I guess we're kinda in the same bucket."

    mc "...or is it more like a jungle?"

    brit "Heh. See any snakes?"

    mc "Don't underestimate my friend."

    brit "What do you--"

    brit "Woah!"

    mc "She's gonna eat yours alive."

    "It {i}was{/i} interesting to see Veronica comfortably work and hunt in her own territory."

    ver "It sounded like you two just needed time apart."

    olivia "Ah, ha, yeeeeah... that's what she said..."

    ver "Well... you're young, you're a student... none of it's wasted time. It's all a building block to make you the wonderful person you'll become one day."

    ver "Try to keep a healthy perspective on it."

    olivia "I know a lot of bitter people that could just easily--"

    olivia "Ah-!"

    ver "It's difficult to build anything if frustration and bitterness prevail."

    ver "You'll be wonderful. You gotta think it to achieve it."

    olivia "Ah, heh... you got such big hands..."

    ver "You're not listening to me at all, are you?"

    olivia "I a-am!"

    brit "Damn, no kidding, but it's what I was counting on. Someone with experience to take the lead."

    brit "Your friend has got total mommy vibes, y'know?"

    brit "Muscle~ mommy~"

    mc "...are you sure we're in the same bucket?"

    brit "I'm just speaking objectively. FYI, I am very {i}firmly{/i} into dudes."

    brit "...or is it the \"Blue is the Warmest Color\" thing I got going on up here?"

    mc "I've been told everyone's a little bit gay. You wouldn't ever...?"

    brit "Not really my bag, but I guess there's a world. Romance and sex ARE two different things. But for me..."

    brit "*Glug, glug, glug~*"

    brit "Mmmh, one is a pretty narrow interest and the other is absolutely non-existent."

    mc "Are you saying you're a v--"

    brit "No! God no! I'm aromantic!"

    mc "... is that a thing outside of chemistry?"

    brit "They've got a lot more words for things nowadays. It means I don't feel romantic attraction. Don't know why, it's just never clicked that way in my head."

    brit "I feel the other kind of attraction though."

    "If I had to be honest... after Felicia, the flirtation of a normal woman seemed quaint."

    mc "Isn't that called just being a guy?"

    brit "You got a dim view of your gender."

    mc "No, I've got a dim view of myself that I unfairly extrapolate to my gender. Don't we all?"

    brit "Ha, that's--"

    ver "You're not even listening to me anymore are you?"

    "Both our attentions were stolen by the Amazon and her companion."

    olivia "Am too..."

    ver "What did I say?"

    olivia "You'd give me a discount."

    ver "You'd be surprised at what a little strength training can do for your dating life."

    olivia "I'd look so silly."

    ver "I'm not saying you'd look like me, just..."

    ver "{size=-5}A little extra stamina in a tight package can do wonders for nights like this."

    olivia "Nights like this?"

    ver "Am I being the too forward one this time?"

    olivia "Uh, ummm...."

    olivia "{b}No.{/b}"

    mc "What are we, spectators? It's kinda weird, don't you think?"

    brit "Well, what do you want to talk about?"

    brit "I'm studying zoology, but you don't really give a shit."

    mc "What's your favorite animal?"

    brit "You're cute. Have I said that before?"

    brit "I'd rather focus on that."

    "......"

    "..."

    brit "I'm feeling a bit... mmmh, how should I say it?"

    brit "Envious...? Competitive?"

    mc "Competitive with your friend?"

    brit "Uh huh. Does that even make any fucking sense? The brain's funny, but there's something about the vibe that's... well..."

    ver "You be the one to do it."

    olivia "......"

    olivia "..."

    brit "It's like seeing a waiter bring out a tasty-looking dessert to another table. You start {i}missing.{/i}"

    brit "Isn't my friend just a {i}snack?{/i}"

    "She was one weird chick, but the sight playing out before us did confirm that I had successfully handed Veronica off for the night."

    brit "We should probably give them some space. Don't want to be third wheelin'..."

    "Was I just going to go home now, or...?"

        "Tell her you have a girlfriend and go home." if hanaGF == True:

            mc "Sorry, this would be a good time to tell you I have a girlfriend."

            brit "Aaaaah. Got it."

            "She seemed pretty cool about it. She didn't make it awkward or, if she was second guessing if I was telling the truth, her face bore an inscrutable smile."

            brit "I'll call tonight a win regardless."

            mc "Yeah. Looks like we both succeeded in our mission tonight."

            brit "And how."

            mc "Hey, Vero."

            "......"

            "..."

            ver "Y-yeah?"

            mc "I'm going to head out. You seem to be in good hands."

            brit "Me too, Liv."

            olivia "Oh, no, you don't- we can-"

            brit "Enjoy yourself munchkin."

            ver "Hey, [mcf]. C'mere."

            mc "Yeah...?"

            ver "A little closer."

            mc "Yeeeeah....?"

            ver "Thanks for tonight."

            mc "You got it."

            "With that, I parted. Picking up the tab and heading home drunk and by my lonesome."

            "Yet, somehow... I felt pretty warm and good on the inside."

        "Go home." if hanaGF == False:

            mc "Looks like we both succeeded in our mission tonight."

            brit "And how."

            "Thankfully, Brittany picked up on the fact that I wasn't feeling it and saved us any awkwardness."

            mc "Hey, Vero."

            "......"

            "..."

            ver "Y-yeah?"

            mc "I'm going to head out. You seem to be in good hands."

            brit "Me too, Liv."

            olivia "Oh, no, you don't- we can-"

            brit "Enjoy yourself munchkin."

            ver "Hey, [mcf]. C'mere."

            mc "Yeah...?"

            ver "A little closer."

            mc "Yeeeeah....?"

            ver "Thanks for tonight."

            mc "You got it."

            "With that, I parted. Picking up the tab and heading home drunk and by my lonesome."

            "Yet, somehow... I felt pretty warm and good on the inside."

        "Be bold. No harm in both of you having some fun tonight.":

            mc "You think I'm cute, do you?"

            brit "{b}Very{/b} cute."

            mc "Well, looks like we both succeeded in our mission tonight."

            mc "It wouldn't hurt for us to have some fun."

            "She said she liked the vibe worming its way in from our periphery..."

            mc "May I...?"

            mct "(I could muster some of that.)"

            mc "Come closer."

            brit "Alright~"

            mc "Not like that."

            "I nodded toward Veronica and her lap warmer, hoping she'd get the picture."

            brit "..."

            "She got the message, all the while looking like she wanted to say something, but stopping herself in favor of reading my expression."

            "......"

            "..."

            mc "Wanna make a bet?"

            brit "Suuuure~"

            mc "I've got the biggest dick you've never seen."

            brit "Does that line usually work?"

            mc "You're the first one I've tried it on. You're not a-curious too, are you?"

            brit "......"

            brit "..."

            brit "Heheh~"

            "......"

            "..."

    "The music no longer reached us, but our bodies did not know that."

    "Every step into the inky black night was devil-may-care, as we made way too much fucking noise, all sense of propriety vacated by our earlier revelry."

    ver "--Then the son of a bitch flew out the door and shouted \"he's in the laundry room\" and I had never seen someone so blinded by rage before. I thought I was going to see someone die that night."

    "I never liked the feeling of {i}otherness{/i} that came from partying, but right now, it felt liberating."

    mc "Why the hell did he snitch like that?"

    ver "Thought it would be funny I guess."

    mc "Man, that's fucked up. Did your friend get hurt?"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 3, channel = "ambient")

    play music "music/smooth-and-cool.ogg" fadein 6.0

    ver "Nah. Luckily, the team held him back until he came to his senses, but THAT'S why you shouldn't fuck around with Roman candles."

    mc "I was... I was just joking. Heh..."

    "So she didn't like my bad idea."

    mc "Like we could even find a fireworks store open at this time of the evening..."

    "......"

    "..."

    "Was {i}she{/i} the responsible one right now?"

    mc "It's a nice night, don't you agree? I don't get to this side of the city too often."

    mc "Ahhhh-"

    "I paused for a moment to listen to the sound of waves breaking against the city's edge, as well as take in the briny sea smell."

    "We were alone."

    "Surprisingly alone, in stark contrast to the jungle of people from whence we had escaped."

    mc "Yep, it's really nice."

    ver "I, uh... heh..."

    mc "You don't think so?"

    ver "If you make fun of me, I'm going to punch you."

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "I think it's kinda scary."

    "I waited, giving her time to elaborate."

    ver "If I think about it, I find it... {b}suffocating.{/b}"

    ver "The city's pushing at our back, the sky's covering us like a dark blanket, and in front of us..."

    ver "A black and swirling void. It's like there's no escaping."

    mc "Ah, so you're a sad drunk, eh?"

    ver "I'm going to hit you."

    mc "The big woman's afraid of the dark, eh?"

    ver "I'm really going to--"

    mc "It's cool. I slept with a nightlight until I was ten."

    ver "I'm not afraid of the--"

    mc "I know, but can I offer a different perspective?"

    "A frustrated frown told me to continue."

    mc "The city's behind us. It's nice to feel {i}away{/i} and {b}apart{/b} for once."

    mc "I mean... instead of being choked up about it, why not finally breathe?"

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "Aaaah-"

    "In the same exaggerated motion as me."

    ver "Smells like a salty shit."

    mc "Ha! You're... ah.. haha..."

    mc "I like the way you think."

    ver "And you're a bag of surprises yourself."

    mc "Believe me when I say I'm not normally this loosey-goosey."

    ver "Does that usually disarm women?"

    mc "Do you think I'm trying to get in your pants tonight?"

    ver "...ah, who knows? Seems likely."

    mc "You cocky bitch."

    ver "Just admit it, you've got some hope in the back of your mind."

    mc "Why do you always think that?"

    ver "Because I'd try in your position."

    "She was fond of saying that too."

    mc "*Sigh* If I {i}just{/i} wanted to bang you, do you think I'd jump through this many hoops when I could just wait for the inevitable sometime over the next two weekends?"

    ver "Maybe, but the thrill's in the conquest. Having something handed to you for free isn't nearly as fun."

    mc "...and is that what you think I'm doing tonight?"

    "......."

    "..."

    mc "I didn't ask you out tonight scheming to fuck you."

    ver "Honestly? I know you didn't."

    ver "You wouldn't have danced like an embarrassing idiot if you were looking to get laid, but..."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "...but what?"

    ver "But {b}pride{/b} is a son of a bitch. I'm in this stupid competition because of it, and even now I'm fighting back an irrational anger that tonight has just been you looking down on me."

    mc "You're too tall for me to look down on."

    ver "Ha, ha. {i}Funny fucker.{/i}"

    mc "I'm actually semi-serious. I'm in no position in my own life to be looking down on anyone."

    ver "When has a little self-awareness ever gotten in the way of that?"

    mc "This hasn't been some sort of pity party, either."

    ver "I know! I said it was irrational!"

    "......"

    mc "...it's hard to let go, isn't it?"

    ver "It's so fucking hard, [mcf]. You have no idea."

    mc "Well, you're in this stupid competition because of it."

    ver "Wow! How {i}did{/i} you know?"

    mc "I'm an insightful drunk, with a working short-term memory."

    ver "Well, yeah, news flash! Pride's a prickly bitch! Who doesn't know that?"

    mc "...yet, it's good to have pride in some things."

    ver "Of course it is! A woman {b}should{/b} have pride!"

    ver "Pride in your work."

    ver "Pride in your family."

    ver "Pride in your person."

    mc "...but too much of anything is a bad thing?"

    ver "That's what makes it so thorny. Cause like I said..."

    mc "Yeah. {i}We're here{/i}... at least you can say you're aware of it."

    ver "Well, I'm a \"life coach\", remember? I'd be a shit one if I wasn't aware of what was fucking me in the ass."

    mc "Elegantly put."

    "......"

    mc "...I think, on some levels, refusing to let go of certain things is normal. I've seen it enough, at least."

    "Ian. My mother. Even myself."

    ver "{i}Personally{/i} speaking?"

    mc "...yeah, and in other people too. But the details aren't important."

    ver "We're having a conversation aren't we? Fucking share something with me, you prick."

    mc "...ha, fair enough."

    ver "Uhg, but let's sit down first. The smell of the water is making me dizzy..."

    mc "...so what the fuck were we yammering about?"

    ver "You were {i}just{/i} bragging about your short-term memory."

    mc "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."

    "I was {i}keenly{/i} feeling the effects of our drinking myself, but I wasn't going to blame it on the sea."

    ver "I wanted you to add your {b}own{/b} experience to this conversation. {b}So we can actually have one{/b}, instead of you just leeching off my side of things so you can get away spot clean."

    "........."

    "......"

    mc "Okay, uh... on the subject of pride and letting go... I really do get why you're doing what you're doing."

    mc "I understand just how much a place can mean to someone."

    mc "Ideals live on up here."

    mc "And they say people live on in here, but..."

    "Veronica shifted her posture, seemingly quite interested in what I had to say."

    mc "A home, or {i}a gym{/i} isn't just four walls with some stuff inside of them. Sometimes we give hallways, rooms, and corridors a deep meaning that we don't want to let go of."

    mc "After my dad died, my mom fought tooth and nail to keep things the same. Things {i}weren't{/i} the same of course, but the trappings were familiar."

    mc "Same home, same school, {i}same TV channels.{/i}"

    mc "As illogical as it is, I don't necessarily think it's stupid or silly to hold onto that meaning."

    mc "We're human beings. That's how we fuckin' roll, eh?"

    ver "...guess you do kinda get it."

    mc "Even more than that, actually..."

    "She looked at me, waiting for even more."

    "...but should I continue?"

        "You're drunk. Be brutally honest.":

            mc "That tooth and nail I was talking about? It's... not all that dissimilar to what you're doing."

            ver "I'd be surprised..."

            mc "You know... she... uh..."

            mc "Eh? You know?"

            "I don't know why I didn't just say it outright. I was certainly capable of it."

            mc "On camera."

            ver "Ah..."

            mc "So, yeah. I get both the reason and the directions that can take you."

            mc "I wish I didn't. It's actually kinda done a number on me..."

            ver "I bet. My dad fucked up my shit and he did it in a socially acceptable way."

            mc "There's nothing shameful about it!"

            ver "I wasn't saying there was."

            mc "...sorry, I know. I don't know why I feel so defensive all of a sudden."

            ver "Opening up to someone can do that."

            "...wait, is that what I'm doing? When did I start opening up to {i}Veronica{/i} of all people? Or am I just leveraging my past as part of my job?"

            mc "To keep it on topic, I guess it's a thing I can't let go of. Never have been, ever since I learned about it."

            mc "Logically I know it's not a big deal, but it's always lingered in the back of my mind. Especially now that I have this job, I've been thinking about it more and more lately."

            mc "I see it in Rosalind. I see it in you. I even see it in Felicia."

            "........."

            mc "...I wish the best for you three."

            ver "I believe you."

            mc "...you do?"

            ver "Yeah."

            "......"

            "..."

            ver "Makes sense too. You've got to be all sorts of screwy to hug a crying, naked woman, and tell her you want to be a friend."

            "......"

            "..."

            mc "...so, I shared. What about you?"

            mc "Are you having second thoughts about your choices?"

            ver "I was just saying you're an easy target for my anger and I know it."

        "Don't overshare.":

            mc "With the way you brought up the pride stuff.. are you having second thoughts about your choices?"

            ver "I was just saying you're just an easy target to be angry at and I know it."

    mc "Well... it's not {i}entirely{i} unwarranted."

    ver "Maybe, but my dumb brain does think being angry at other people is better than being angry at myself, which is, let me tell you... {b}nooooot{/b} helpful."

    mc "At least it's a motivator, right?"

    ver "Yeah, one that's just as likely to have you do something stupid as much as {i}whatever{/i}."

    mc "This plays out in your head a lot?"

    ver "Too much. It'd even be {i}fascinating{/i} if it didn't sting like a bitch."

    ver "I mean... the way you can know a decision is stupid, knowing what the outcome will be, yet you do it anyway?"

    ver "Smoking... over-eating... holding onto a failing business and, in the process, convincing the one person you found that could actually stomach you that you're {i}really{/i} {b}everything{/b} you're afraid you are."

    ver "Sometimes I'm not even sure if I have a good reason to be angry anymore, but I can't turn it off. It's like watching a knife enter your body in slow-motion and just letting it happen."

    mc "Are you sure you're not having second thoughts?"

    "...was I asking because it was my job to make sure she wasn't or was it? Was that it, or...?"

    ver "Never, ever. Until the bitter end. That's just how my stupid heart works."

    "Or was what I'm feeling right now a genuine pang of concern?"

    "......"

    mc "...you look like you could use a drink."

    ver "...thanks."

    "There {i}was{/i} something bugging me about her words..."

    mc "I'm going to say something, even though you're going to think I have ulterior motives."

    ver "Just say it."

    mc "Well, it's been a lot of dumb brain this and stupid heart that, but..."

    "It {i}was{/i} my job to make sure she kept trucking, but that didn't mean I didn't believe what I was about to say."

    mc "I think you're pretty cool. Nah, actually..."

    mc "I know you're pretty cool. You're tenacious, you know?"

    mc "Like, seriously? The balls on you to try and unionize the Carnations yesterday."

    ver "Not really. I'm just throwing myself against walls."

    mc "There's something romantic to be said of going down kicking and screaming."

    ver "From your comfortable, dick-swinging perspective maybe."

    mc "Just take the fucking compliment! You're a strong person and you have some qualities that I {i}genuinely{/i} admire."

    mc "You hold yourself to a standard, you're clearly hard-working, you keep moving, and you're willing to self-reflect."

    "Some of her decisions may be questionable, but..."

    mc "You're fucking cool. No question about it."

    ver "......"

    ver "..."

    ver "{i}Stupid{/i} kid."

    mc "{i}Dumb{/i} old bitch."

    ver "Ah, hehehe~"

    "......"

    "..."

    "As our words receded, and there was only moonlight between us, I was left with an impression."

    "Despite her defeatism, or maybe in tandem with it, the moon lent Veronica's pale skin a transient, ethereal-like beauty."

    "I hadn't invited her out to make a move on her, {i}that was the truth{/i}, but at the moment..."

    "I'd be full of shit if I said I didn't feel a pull right about now."

    ver "What a strange pair of drinking buddies we are."

    mc "You said it."

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "Pffh!"

    mc "...what is it?"

    ver "Your face is red!"

    mc "...I'm drunk."

    ver "...it's even redder now that I mentioned it!"

    mc "I'll just have to take your word for it, since I can't see my own face or feel it for the matter."

    mc "Speaking of which..."

    "I don't half-ass things. Let's never feel my face again~"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    mct "(Ah...?)"

    mc "Mmmmmhh...?"

    mc "...s'all gone."

    mc "We should've lifted two bottles. What the hell do we do now?"

    ver "Should we just call it a night?"

    mc "Is that what you want to do?"

    ver "Not really. Go home and sleep in my closet? {b}Fuck.{/b}"

    ver "I mean..."

    ver "{b}Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck!{/b}"

    "Veronica screamed into the night, but the only thing that called back was a pale imitation."

    ver "If it's up to me, I'll take this salty-shit air, thank you very much."

    mc "........."

    mc "......"

    mc "...alright. That settles it. We may be out of booze, but..."

    mc "We still have our feet."

    ver "Pssh, what? Yeah... yeah right."

    mc "I thought you loved dancing."

    ver "You want to drunkenly dance in the moonlight?"

    mc "... uh, which part of that is the problem? Is it cause there's no music?"

    mc "If that's the case, {b}hoooold on{/b}, I can fix that."

    mc "It's a poor stand-in for a stereo and we've got shit acoustics, but--"

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "{b}Here.{/b}"

    play music "music/blue-mood.ogg" fadein 3.0

    mc "And the Lord said, let there be music!"

    "........."

    "......"

    ver "...this is so stupid."

    mc "You didn't think it was stupid when there were people around, so why is it stupid now?!"

    ver "...because I said it is!"

    mc "Oh, is that it?"

    ver "How do you not think it is?!"

    mc "Juuuust dance with me, Veronica. Pleeeeease!!!"

    mc "It's a nice night."

    "..............."

    "............"

    "........."

    "......"

    ver "...fine!"

    ver "One more dance to end the night, okay?!"

    mct "(...what am I doing?)"

    mct "(Why aren't I just going home?)"

    "Those questions fought hard to penetrate through the inebriated fog."

    ver "...but let's do it slowly."

    mc "Right. Don't want to get dizzy, do we?"

    ver "...that means you should use your scrawny arms to hold onto me."

    mc "Like this?"

    ver "...no need to be ginger about it. Go lower, grab my waist."

    mc "You sure are demanding for someone blasé on the idea."

    ver "I mean, if we're going to dance by the ocean - AT NIGHT - how else would we do it?"

    mc "Alright~"

    "Quickly, and with feeling, I pulled us chest-to-chest."

    "My head felt fuzzy, too fuzzy, and Veronica deceptively soft."

    mc "Shall we?"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.6, 3, channel = "ambient")

    "That was how, enveloped on all sides by darkness, we began our dance."

    "Surprisingly, I took the lead, the headstrong woman ceding to my sluggish movements."

    ver "Your choice in music is weird..."

        mc "Yeah? You don't like it? And what's on your workout mix, Ronnie? Speed metal?"

        mc "Yeah? You don't like it? And what's on your workout mix? Speed metal?"

    ver "...uh, mostly a mix of early 2000s pop songs."

    mc "Damn. You're old."

    ver "What? You were alive then too!"

    mc "Barely. The first ten years of your life hardly count as living."

    ver "Fuck you, you're a baby."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 2, channel = "ambient")

    mc "Hehehe-"

    "In actuality, I don't think either of us was dancing to the shallow sound of my phone's speakers, nor was it the breaking of the waves that timed our steps."

    "The playback was entirely in our murky, diluted heads."

    ver "Well, maybe this wasn't a stupid idea..."

    mc "You sure you're not saying that because it beats the alternative?"

    ver "Pretty sure..."

        play ambient "sound effects/waves.ogg"

    "Even if my senses were dull, the mood being what it was, the question that I should've been asking myself finally surfaced."

    "{i}What exactly was I doing by asking her to dance alone like this?{/i}"

    "Was Veronica on the money with her accusation? Was I going in for the kill on a lonely, liquored-up divorced woman on a hot summer night?"

    "{i}Did I simply want to dance with a \"friend\", full stop?{/i} Was I just seeing where it all lead?"

    mct "(What am I doing...?)"

    "For a moment that turned into minutes, I didn't search for the answer to that question, as it would be difficult to outright untangle it from the muddied mess caking the inside of my skull."

    "So for minutes that turned into a big moment, it just sat square in my brain, marinating until the answer cooked itself."

    "Until the mood was thick, and I was all too conscious of the red-headed beauty."

    mc "Your face is red."

    ver "...the night's cool and you're warm."

    "There {i}was{/i} somethings I implicitly knew about this situation, however."

    "I knew I enjoyed her company tonight."

    "I knew, without a doubt, I found Veronica attractive."

    "I also knew that with one willful act she may very well give herself to me."

    "Yet, rejected or not, all the goodwill I built over the past few days might just be expended in an instant."

    "...but what was the point of this goodwill? It would all evaporate in a week and a half, and we would never see each other again. This night might be the one chance for me to have her on our own terms."

    "The cautious side of my brain, bogged down by rum and desperate to be heard, whispered not to do it."

    "However, the uninhibited animal side of my brain, emboldened by the liquor, was much more certain of the outcome."

        "Do it.":

        "Do it.":

        "Don't do it.":

            "Whether it would happen for the right or wrong reasons, I pulled back."

            "I resisted."

                mct "(I would...)"

                "Keep my promise."

                "It doesn't do to be greedy..."

            ver "You had a pretty obvious look on your face."

            mc "No, I didn't."

            ver "Did too."

            mc "...I'm drunk."

            "I offered the same excuse as last time."

            ver "Yeah... we are..."

            "......"

            "..."

            ver "I guess you changed your mind."

            "The pull wasn't just in my head; there was a moment there and she had felt it too."

            mc "What are you talking about? Isn't {i}this{/i} nice?"

            ver "It takes some getting used to, but..."

            ver "Yeah. Turns out I'm starved for this kinda sappy shit."

            mc "You know earlier... I never danced like that before in my life. It was fun."

            mc "Guess you brought it out of me..."

            ver "You're not going to blame the alcohol for the third time tonight?"

            mc "Credit where credit is due."

            mc "Ah... the song's over..."

            ver "Who cares? Let's just keep on for a little while... please?"

            mc "Sure, I don't have anywhere to be..."

            "It felt reassuring that this time she was the one to pull me into the hug."

            "Veronica's grip {i}was{/i} secure and comforting..."

            mct "(Wouldn't it be nice if this night went on longer...?)"

            "......"

            "..."

                "On second thought.":

                    mct "(Ah, fuck it!)"

                    ver "Mmmh...?!"

                    "The mood's the fucking mood. Screw my doubts, screw the calculus of \"goodwill\" - whatever the fuck that is."

                    "Veronica is open to this just as much as I am."

                    ver "I wasn't saying I'm starved-- I w-wasn't looking for you to ki--"

                    ver "MMmhhh!"

                    "Despite her protest, she was quick to kiss me back."

                    "Her tongue explored my mouth with a remarkable degree of control."

                    "To my mind and my body, it seemed an explosive taste of things to come."

                    ver "Ah, hhhh~ *chwup~*"

                    "It told me that what came after this wouldn't be one-sided, and there was a growing anticipation in my perverted heart about how she might use her strength and flexibility on me..."

                    ver "Mmmhh, hhh..."

                    "...or how I might bend those qualities to my pleasure."

                    mct "(The challenge of conquest...)"

                    "{b}Goddamn it...{/b} she wasn't {i}wrong.{/i}"

                    mc "A-ah... About our conversation earlier..."

                    ver "What part of it...?"

                    mc "Good, doesn't matter. Just don't say I told you so."

                    "{i}I really hadn't asked her out to drink intending this.{/i}"

                    "However..."

                    "Intentions don't mean much when put against a tall, full-bodied, lonely beauty."

                    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "ambient")

                    "........."

                    "......"

                    "..."

                "Stick to your guns.":

                    $ history_veronica = "I took Veronica out, hoping it would be a nice reprieve from her troubles. I thought better of making a move."

                    play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

                    "No, this was a good place to end it."

        "Do it.":

    ver "Mmmmhh..."

    "The animal side of me knew she wouldn't rebuff me. Veronica was like a wounded deer, after all."

    "She didn't fight it."

    "She didn't push me away."

    "She didn't even act surprised."

    "No, like she was expecting it, she kissed me back."

    ver "Mmmhhhh-"

    "She was showing me that she needed this as much as I wanted it and that she would give as good as she got."

    ver "Ah, haaammm-"

    "She was showing me that it wouldn't be so one-sided, filling me with a growing anticipation in my perverted heart about how she might use her strength and flexibility on me..."

    ver "Mmmhh, hhh..."

    "...or how I might bend those qualities to my pleasure."

    mct "(The challenge of conquest...)"

    "{b}Goddamn it...{/b} she wasn't {i}wrong.{/i}"

    mc "You can blame it on the alcohol and hate me in the morning..."

    ver "Yeah, I may just take you up on that..."

    "{i}I really hadn't asked her out to drink intending this.{/i}"

    "Not that it matters."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "Intentions don't mean much when put against a tall, full-bodied, lonely beauty."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "ambient")

    play music "music/jazz-piano-bar.ogg"

    "Veronica had no desire to shack up at the gym and my place was out for the obvious reason."

    "So, where to go...? Well..."

    "Our jaunt into the night took us to an {i}intermediary{/i} location."

    play ambient "sound effects/kissing1.mp3"

    "Our position was secured with a quick and simple phone call that confirmed a date with a certain hair stylist."

    ver "Mmmh, hhhm-"

    "So, wasting no time..."

    ver "Euuhh, mmh-"

    "...and {i}straight to business.{/i}."

    "We left no room for awkward chit-chat or our tiresome brand of back-and-forth."

    "Words might have brought second thoughts, so as soon as we got in the door, Veronica allowed herself to melt into my arms."

    mc "Mh... *chup~*"

    "The fire was dim."

    mc "Leave it to me..."

    "Dimmed by drink and most likely Veronica's clawing thoughts."

    mc "Shut your mind off..."

    "Was she swallowing her anger towards me right now?"

    mc "Get out of your head for a few hours..."

    "Whatever the case, a dim flame burns just the same."

    mc "You can reduce yourself down... *Chwup, chup~* ...or be as complicated as you want."

    "It only needed some {i}stoking{/i}"

    ver "That, mmmhh--"

    "And every now and then I'd get a shudder out of her signaling I was on the right track."

    ver "...s'what I'm doing, string--"

    play ambient "sound effects/kissing2.mp3"

    ver "{size=-5}Mmmmhmhh...{/size}"

    "The faintly cute sounds she was making right now were so unlike her and I {i}loved{/i} that."

    ver "Mmm, hhhm..."

    "It was like hearing a lion purr like a house cat."

    ver "Ewuuh~"

    "The budding cocky bastard in me was beginning to swell, full of thoughts of making the large woman sing to my tune."

    play ambient "sound effects/kissing1.mp3"

    mc "When did you~ *chwup* ~decide you were okay with this tonight?"

    ver "Mmh...? Ah... when... when {b}I told you so.{/}"

    play ambient "sound effects/kissing2.mp3"

    "{i}Shut up{/i}."

    ver "Mmmh, hhhmm~ hhew-hehe~"

    play ambient "sound effects/kissing1.mp3"

    "Slowly but surely, the alcohol in our blood would be replaced with each other."

    "Kiss by kiss..."

    "Peck by peck..."

    "...it wasn't enough to get us there."

    "My hand, knowing that, and as if it possessed a mind of its own, positioned itself to {i}escalate{/i}"

    mc "Mmmhh~"

    "I had seen them plenty, but that didn't do a damn thing to hamper the anticipation as my fingers bit into Veronica's flesh."

    ver "Ah, mmhhh- mmmmhhh-"

    "However, unlike a Christmas present..."

    "I was content in slowly unwrapping them."

    "An intermission in the action gave me the chance to appraise Veronica's expression."

    "......"

    "..."

    ver "I liked it better when your hands and lips were doing something."

    mc "Is that your way of saying you like the way I touch you?"

    ver "Let's get something straight--"

    ver "A-ahh... I'm just feeling you out for a minute."

    mc "Is that so...?"

    "Slowly, finger by finger, I ran my hand across her breast, catching and pulling at Veronica's teat."

    mc "You like it when your partners {i}dance{/i} for you then?"

    "Her reply came in the form of a look, and in the way her nipple stiffened against the brush of my fingertips."

    ver "Mmmh... it isn't so bad making a handsome man work for you."

    mc "You like me without my glasses, huh?"

    ver "Don't get ahead of yourself. I don't really like handsome men, I like cute ones..."

    ver "Lucky for you, a little obedience can make you cute."

    "It was stupid..."

    ver "You want to be cute for me, [mcf]?"

    "...but being called handsome, from Veronica of ALL people--"

    ver "...you want to be cute for Mommy Veronica?"

    "--{b}was {i}such{/i} a dopamine hit.{/b}"

        "Dance, monkey.":

            "I didn't know about obedience, but..."

            "I could do a little devotion."

            "A small kiss here."

            "A small kiss there."

            ver "That tickles..."

            "Attention worthy of a well-sculpted body like hers."

            mc "Don't worry. I'm not going to neglect a single inch of you."

            "*Chwup, fhwup~*"

            "Some fumbling with clothes later and..."

            "*{b}Chwup, fhhwup, chup~*{/b}"

            play music "music/brooklyn-nights.ogg"

            ver "Ah, heh... hehe..."

            "In this position, with a firm grasp on Veronica's forearm, I wasn't really sure who was the obedient one here."

            mc "You're a work of art."

            "Was it the one slathering her with affection or the one letting a pervert have free range at her vulnerable parts?"

            mc "Every part of you deserves some loving attention."

            "However, the question of which one of us was more subservient to our desires was an unimportant one, because..."

            ver "You're not thinking of--"

            "...Veronica's body remained alluring no matter how you turned, twisted, or flexed it."

            ver "It's summer... I'm going to be nast--"

            ver "A-ah... yeeeeah-"

            "Did not care."

            "Slowly, but persistently, I dug my tongue into Veronica's armpits, mapping out its attractive outline as if I'd have a use for it later."

            ver "Hnng... d-don't I taste bad there?"

            "Nope!"

            "It tasted like flesh like any other, but made sweet by drink and the churning sexual desire in my belly."

            ver "A-ah.. hehe--"

            "And, what of the smell...?"

            ver "Heh, you {i}freak.{/i} Ha.. this is... this is actually a little embarrassing..."

            "Veronica's raw stench, developed over the course of a hot summer night?"

            mc "Mmh, hhmhmhmm-"

            "{i}It was honest.{/i}"

            "{b}Raw{/b}."

            "It injected into my nose a conceited feeling that I was probably one of few, if any, to ever attack her from this angle."

            "{i}Freak?{i}?"

            "Right on the money."

            "If I didn't already feel like one, this was to be the advent of my deviancy, no doubt."

            "But, simply put, {i}every part of Veronica was appealing.{/i}"

            "Every curve and divot was worthy of affection."

            "As my tongue scraped the rough and prickly surface, a strange and sudden notion grabbed me."

            "A notion that feverishly burrowed itself into my being, compelling me to demonstrate it in earnest."

            "In this give and take, a woman like Veronica was worthy of worship."

            mc "I love the way you taste and smell."

            ver "Ah, fuck...."

            mc "What?"

            ver "That kind of shit gets you going too...?"

                mc "I'm afraid we might just be more simpatico than you're comfortable with, Ronnie."

                mc "I'm afraid we might just be more simpatico than you're comfortable with."

            ver "Yeah? Well, if only you had a set of tits."

            mc "Lean back."

            mc "You've worked so hard for your body, the least I can do is show you I recognize that."

            ver "...I'll give you ten minutes."

            mc "What happens after ten minutes?"

            ver "You'll see."

            "Let's not waste them then."

        "Tell her to kiss you.":

            play music "music/brooklyn-nights.ogg"

            "I swelled with undue confidence."

            mc "Kiss me yourself."

            "Simple ask, but my intention was clear."

            ver "..."

            "Cut the bullshit. {i}She already found me attractive{/i}."

            "The way she was perched on my lap, large freckled ass pressing into my crotch told me she didn't have any qualms about \"handsome\" men."

            mc "I'm waiting, Veronica."

            ver "........."

            ver "......"

            ver "...s'alright."

            "{b}Yes.{/b}"

            "She sprung forth, closing the gap in a flash, and forming a seal around my mouth."

            mc "Mmmhh~"

            "The feeling of the Amazon's mouth pressed into mine, all of her own volition, was sobering."

            ver "Hmmm, hhhmm-"

            "As was the way she intertwined her tongue with mine."

            "It wasn't a delicate dance, no."

            "It was strong and overpowering, just like her, and fitting for a woman worthy of {i}conquest.{/i}"

            "It was funny how Veronica's words continued to stick in my mind, even as my whole body was hit by a rush of staggering elation."

            mc "Mhh, ahh- *Chwup~*"

            "And it was amazing that a mere kiss, a submissive meeting in the middle from a tempestuous woman, could make one feel powerful."

            "*Chwup, fwhup~"

            "How it grabbed a man by the brain stem, shook his head's soupy contents vigorously, and cajoled him into thinking {i}I deserve this{/i}."

            "In her own way, intentional or not, Veronica was exerting control over me."

            "The sloppy way she thrashed around in my mouth interrupted the constant flow of {i}me, me, me{/i} and replaced it with ego-bereft bursts of white."

            ver "Mmh, hhheea-"

            "Her intermittent moans, let out during brief windows of breathing, went straight into my ears and down to my toes."

            "It was now my turn to {i}melt{/i}."

            mc "Mh, hhaaa-"

            mct "(Veronica--)"

            "--and melt I did, in the strong grasp and comforting shadow of a woman unlike any other I've tasted before."

            "Felicia was forward and wild, but Veronica...."

            ver "Grab my breast."

            "Veronica had no pretense in a moment like this."

            mc "Alright..."

            "She had an innate, natural energy that loomed over me like a fuckable oak tree."

            ver "How was tha--"

            ver "Ah, hnn-"

            mc "Perfect."

            "{i}Women were scary creatures{/i}."

            mc "Lie back."

            "{i}...or was I just an idiot?{/i}"

            "Whatever the case, it didn't matter. I wouldn't be outdone here."

            ver "Okay, but I'll give you ten minutes."

            mc "What happens after ten minutes?"

            ver "You'll see."

            "Let's not waste them then."

    mct "(...{i}why do all the women in my life have such incredible tits?{/i})"

    ver "...you got me how you want me. What comes next, {i}big strong man?{/i}"

        "Wiping that smile off your face.":

            mc "Try and hold that smile as long as you can, because I'm going to enjoy demolishing it."

            "All she did was double down on that cheeky look."

            mc "Alright then..."

        "You continue the worship." if w3VeronicaWorship == True:

            mc "Just enjoy. That's all."

            ver "I'm wait--"

        "What comes next? She enjoys herself." if w3VeronicaWorship == False:

            mc "Just enjoy. That's all."

            ver "Well, I'm wait--"

    "*Chwup~*"

    ver "A-hah... again with the..."

    "*{b}Chup~*{/b}"

        mc "Your body fascinates me..."

        "*Chwup, chup~*"

        mc "It's somehow firm and soft in all the right ways."

        mc "I wonder what this part of you tastes like...?"

        ver "O-oh, ah... what are you, a dog?"

        "To some, the belly was an erogenous zone. To Veronica...?"

        ver "A-ahh... you going to give every part of me a bath?"

        "Unlikely, but I think she can appreciate the sight of a man slavishly loving her body."

        "--and what a body part to love."

        mc "You see right here...?"

        "*Chwup, chup~*"

        mc "That's about where I'll reach."

        "{b}*Chup~*{/b}"

        mc "That's about where I'll be later tonight."

        ver "Time's ticking, [mcf]."

        mc "You know, it's been really hard to resist doing this..."

        ver "Wh-"

        ver "O-oh, ah... what are you, a dog?"

        "{i}Possibly{/i}"

        ver "A-ah, well... do what you like, pervert."

        "That one was {i}more{/i} accurate, but who could blame me?"

    "Musculus rectus abdominis."

    ver "Ah, hh-huh-"

    mct "(What was this...?)"

    "In the process of devouring her, Veronica would help me develop a hands-on appreciation for my anatomy studies."

    ver "Aheh, he-"

    "The catch and pull of my tongue inside and around the ridges of Veronica's tummy not only produced a girlish giggle from the Amazon, but proved an odd tactile delight for my own."

    ver "...t-this wasn't quite what I had in mind when I said I preferred your hands and mouth busy."

    "Maybe not..."

    ver "F-fuck--"

    "--{i}but she liked it{/i}."

    ver "Damn, that feels weird..."

    "And even through the denim, as my hands played up and down Veronica's muscular thighs, trespassing along the edge of her sex, I could feel the warm need from within."

    ver "H-heugg..."

    "All thanks to the way my fingers and mouth worked in tandem, digits teasing Veronica's entrance while the other pressed down on her womb from above."

    "Gradually though..."

    "...the peaks that towered over me drew my gaze, {i}commanding{/i} me to bask in their enormity and marvel at the perfection of their shape, and bit by bit..."

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    "{i}There was a call.{/i}"

    "A siren's song, to return to the primordial ooze from which all hopes and dreams originated."

    ver "Ah, ha... fuck me, I'm going to regret asking this, but... penny for your thoughts?"

    mc "My thoughts...?"

    mct "(My myriad thoughts?)"

        "Those freckled breasts are supernatural.":

        "Those tits are not of this world.":

        "They're freakin' impossible. An anomaly.":

        "They're driving me mad.":

        "How does reality accept such contradicting boobs?":

        "Your breasts are literally divine.":

        "I want them on my face.":

    mc "Eh, not thinking about much."

    ver "Go ahead. I know what you want."

    ver "I know how good they look..."

    ver "Come to Mama."

    "A little forward momentum later, Veronica was back on my lap."

    "{i}Face-to-tit.{/i}"

        "{i}All roads of worship inevitably led here, of course.{/i}"

    mc "You know, I kinda wonder, since you play both teams... have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and--"

    ver "Pfft, don't be stupid. That'd be weird."

    mc "Would it...? Hehe, can you blame me for thinking that when--"

    "Hands behind her back, and as if making an offering, Veronica pushed out her chest."

    ver "Ha- Heh..."

    "If that was her way of telling me to shut my drunken ass up, it was quite effective."

    mc "Mmmmh~"

    "Instead of forming my inane musings, my lips were far better put to use clasped around Veronica's breast."

    ver "There, there... heh..."

    "Rather than wagging, my tongue was better utilized swaddling the redhead's bloated tip, in a fruitless pursuit of succor that wasn't on tap."

    mc "Hhhhrrr-!"

    "My excess fervor piped out in the form of a growl."

    mc "Ha, hhhmmmm-"

    ver "There, there... you perverted little fiend..."

    "Veronica's voice dropped down to a sultry pitch, tickling my ears with not so much an accusation as it was the naked truth."

    ver "You look {b}good{/b} with my tits in your mouth. Right at home..."

    "As I focused on my task, only half of what Veronica said reached my temporal lobe."

    ver "Hell... you almost look ... {i}innocent{/i}."

    "{i}That felt doubtful{/i}."

    ver "A-ah... but... that shit about admiring me was a lie. You don't have -ah, haa..."

    "{i}No, it wasn't{/i}."

    ver "Y-you don't have a single ounce of respect for me."

    "{i}I did. In my own, fucked up way{/i}."

    ver "Mmmh, not that I can blame you... I haven't given you any reason to, not before or now..."

    "...but as I was, I wasn't in any position to retort."

    ver "I wouldn't if I were you. I mean, look at me, giving my chest to--"

    ver "Ah, hhha-♥♥ {b}Goddamn it!{b}"

    "If I wanted to shut her up and put a pin in her creeping self-deprecation, I had only one avenue to do it."

    ver "Why am I so fucking turned on right now?!"

    "So, doubly as before and as if clinging onto a lifeline, I gripped Veronica's breasts and got rough with it."

    "*Thwup, thchhup, chhhhhup!*"

    ver "You f-fuckin' vacuum-!"

    "There wasn't any nuance to it."

    ver "Ah, hhnngg-"

    "If it didn't feel good, the least it could be was overwhelming."

    "*{b}Twhup, kwwhup, hwwwup, kkkhh, uuuhhk, ehhhup!{/b}*"

    "It wasn't long until her accusations, aimed at both me and her, stopped."

    "*{size=+5}{b}Twhup, kwwhup, hwwwup, kkkhh, uuuhhk, ehhhup!!!{/b}{/size}*"

    "A little longer, the cursing stopped too."

    ver "Ha, hhaa-"

    "In its wake was the profane sound of sucking and the Amazon's sweet, half-stifled moans."

    ver "Hnnng, y-you...!"

    "--she wasn't complacent though. Her body remained willful, chest pushed out more and more, as if trying to drive herself deeper into pleasure."

    "*{size=+10}{b}Twhup, kwwhup, hwwwup, kkkhh, uuuhhk, ehhhup!!!{/b}{/size}*"

    "So I focused intently, as difficult as it was with my own sexual desire mounting."

    ver "Y-you, vvvauh-!"

    "Minute after minute, maybe even ten minutes... waiting for a certain feverish note that would mark the crescendo."

    ver "Ah, rrhhi, hha-"

    "The highest point."

    ver "{size=+15}Hhh, hhaaa, eeeeugh-{/size}"

    "Because after the highest point, the natural direction to go was--"

    ver "{size=+20}Euugh, hhha, mmmhg, hhhaaa, DAMN IT-♥♥♥{/size}"

    "Diminuendo."

    ver "{size=-5}What, eeh... waht...?!{/size}"

    "You had to go back down."

    ver "D-don't do that-!"

    "Softer and slower."

    "*Chwup, fwhup~*"

    ver "{size=-10}D-don't-- D-DON'T!!{/size}"

    "Kiss after kiss, there was no escape."

    "*Chwup, fwhup, hwwwup~*"

    ver "If you suddenly stop like that--"

    "Because when the tension is at its highest, when the wall is about to break, when her body is so overwrought, it only takes..."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 2, channel = "music")

    ver "F-fuuuuuhk it!"

    "One."

    ver "Gah, hhaaa-"

    "Little."

    ver "Haa, haaa, f-full body--"

    "Push."

    ver "H-holy, s-shit!"

    "As I watched Veronica quiver, with an undoubtedly smug look on my face, I had a thought."

    ver "Hee, haaa..."

    "{i}No, I had a confirmation.{/i}"

    ver "Ha, haa, hhaaa..."

    "...I was getting pretty fucking good at this."

    ver "Hnnngg... you g-goddamn devil."

    "{i}If I said so myself.{/i}"

    ver "...hehehe~ hehehh... you know what?"

    ver "Fuck it, good work."

    mc "...I do respect you, Veronica."

    ver "Shut up."

    mc "...that's probably not going to happen, you know that, right?"

    ver "Hehe, ha..."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 2, channel = "music")

    ver "I don't know if it's been ten minutes or not, but..."

    ver "...it's my turn now."

    "Suddenly, Veronica was towering over me, bringing her size and weight to bear."

    mc "...we're taking turns?"

    "It felt strangely warm."

    ver "Wouldn't you say one good turn deserves another?"

    "Oddly comforting, even."

    mc "We can go with that."

    mc "Mmmh, mhh-"

    "I didn't mind. Veronica's imposing form felt like a blanket securing and shielding me from the dreary night."

    "*Chwup~*"

    "Her kisses to my neck, however, weren't. Those were like little jolts to my system."

    "*Chwup, chwup~*"

    "Prickly things of burgeoning anticipation, pushing all active thoughts from my skull and pacifying my will."

    "{i}It would be really nice to just lie back and let the redhead work, wouldn't it?{/i}."

    "{b}Yes, it would.{/b}"

    "An overwhelming part of me wanted to see where this leads and bask in the unbelievable thought of Veronica's {i}pleasing me.{/i}"

    mc "I'll give you ten minutes."

    "......"

    ver "..."

    "Wordlessly, and with concentrated haste, Veronica fumbled with my clothes one button at a time."

    "Then my pants and my underwear."

    "Until I was but a specimen, served up on a slab, to be dissected by Veronica's cutting gaze."

    mc "You know, you've seen me wearing this before.."

    "Perhaps satisfied by the show of self-consciousness, she just smiled glibly in return."

    mc "Time to even the field..."

    mc "...huh?"

    ver "{i}Down.{/i}"

    ver "Patience, little boy..."

    "She tossed me like a sack of potatoes."

        "You like it.":

            mct "(Why does that turn me on?)"

            mc "Yes, Ma'am..."

        "Damn it, you...":

            mc "...bitch."

            ver "Uh huh. Just you wait."

    "First her shoes and then..."

    "Inch by inch, Veronica peeled the denim from her freckled skin, making a show of it..."

    "Gradually revealing her sizeable ass, muscular thighs, and {b}shapely{/b} legs."

    "Everything but her panties, and from my lowly position, it was my turn to admire the cut of the Amazon's figure."

    ver "It's better if I leave this bit on, right?"

    mc "It does have an appeal..."

    "{i}Like a tiger cornering her prey...{/i}"

    "She had me cornered, waiting with bated breath."

    ver "*Chwup* Don't..."

    ver "...don't expect the same kind of loving treatment from me. I'm a selfish bitch."

    ver "To the point at hand..."

    ver "Mmmmhh..."

    "The Amazon regarded my gonads like a freshly baked pie."

    ver "You smell... {b}thick.{/b}"

    mc "Is that why you gave me a workout before your photoshoot last week?"

    ver "Mmmmhhh..."

    mc "You do that for all the men you fuck?"

    ver "Aaaaaah~"

    "She had no words for my dumb provocation, only a look."

    "{i}She was serious.{/i}"

    mct "(Should I fear for my--)"

    ver "*Chwup~*"

    "{i}She advanced.{/i}"

    "Slowly, she took me in, bit by bit."

    "Making me truly feel like she was about to consume me."

    ver "You're cute enough."

    ver "Mmmmh..."

    "Her trap set, Veronica lulled me into its terrible embrace with a kiss."

    mc "A-ahh-"

    "A distraction, as Veronica {i}coiled{/i} around my cock, snuffing out any notion of escape."

    "Her eyes showed the vast difference in our experience."

    "If I was in her position, I'd be overly excited, brimming over with venom and childish malice."

    "For Veronica, however, it was due course. Her control needed no vulgarity to mask its shortcomings."

    mc "Hnngg, aha, s-shit..."

    "Veronica held me strangled, between thigh and calf."

    "So very, {i}very{/i} tight..."

    "{i}Crushing{/i}"

    mc "Ahk, what are you...?"

    ver "You were so interested in mine..."

    mc "MMmhh-!"

    "As her lips sealed around my nipples, I didn't expect to feel a thing, but {i}Veronica made it feel good{/i}."

    mc "Ah, ahh- ha-"

    "Her control over my cock {i}made it feel like it was the very best place to touch me{/i}, extracting girlish moans from my lips."

    "{i}Tricking my mind that she could make anything a reality...{/i}"

    "Her eyes again said it all."

    "She didn't try to make me beg, like I probably would."

    "A snake didn't ask its prey for encouragement, it just made due on the promise of death."

    mc "Y-yeah..."

    "{i}Finally.{/i}"

    "Veronica worked me methodically, her body holding me down with a loving, comfortable authority."

    ver "Mmmh, hmmm... that's the look... heh..."

    ver "You're making me {i}swoon{/i}, [mcf]."

    mc "Mmmh, y-eaah..?"

    ver "You lady killer, you."

    "Her fangs pierced my skin, delivered by a husky voice, injecting venom into my ears."

    mc "...I could learn a thing or two from you."

    "The act itself was clumsy and how couldn't it be?"

    "In this position, twisted up like this, wedged between the bend of Veronica's leg..."

    "It didn't matter though."

    mc "Ha, hnnnng"

    "It wasn't complicated. The human body was a simple and pleasure-yielding thing."

    mc "D-damn...! This feels...!"

    "I felt like my dick was about to pop, overly engorged, skin stretched painfully with desire..."

    ver "Good...?"

    "All before you added Veronica's {i}clamp{/i} to the mix, constricting and pulling, mashing and rubbing."

    mc "Fuck, you sure got it!"

    "{i}Clumsy worked.{/i} I was growing dim-witted under a feverish spell."

    ver "Hmmmmm....what are you thinking about?"

    mc "How much I want to fuck the shit out of you..."

    ver "{i}Good{/i}."

    mc "A-aah, hhn-"

    "It would be a slow death, I was so far from cumming, but desire had made me sick."

    ver "Good, good, good..."

    "...but it didn't make me want to curse. Veronica peered into me reassuringly and formed a contradiction."

    "{i}She made it comfortable.{/i}"

    ver "Because... well, I kinda need it, [mcf]."

    "{i}She made a connection.{/i}"

    mc "Y-yeah, I thought you might..."

    ver "I needed a night like tonight..."

    "{i}A warm kind of torture.{/i}"

    ver "Some drinking, some dancing, some..."

    "She paused, the answer evident, but her voice full of captivation."

    ver "I mean, all those cute girlies at the bar tonight and this is how it ended up?"

    ver "Pfft, ha, hahaa-!"

    mc "You liked my dancing!"

    ver "...mmmh, I guess I did."

    mc "A, hhhaaaa-!"

    "Her hold on my cock was resolute."

    "{i}A bear hug.{/i}"

    ver "You want to \"fuck the shit out of me\", [mcf]. It's crude, but..."

    mc "Euughh-"

    ver "{b}Okay...{/b} feel free to fuck all the sense out of you and into me. I'll do the same."

    mc "D-deal...!"

    ver "...and we'll see which one of us can walk afterwards. Doesn't that sound fun?"

    mc "A, eeu-yeuhhuup!"

    mc "Good, good, good, {b}good{/b}..."

    "The goods mounted, and I was hard-pressed to disagree."

    ver "Just..."

    "The seductive glean in her eye diminished as she searched my expression, as if making sure I was suitably under control."

    ver "Let's enjoy tonight. Like two people who want to be together."

    mc "Ah, haaa-"

    "Her devilish facade crumbled to a vague look of genuineness and vulnerability, but the torture down below continued."

    ver "{i}Please{/i} don't make me regret it, [mcf]."

    mc "Why would--"

    "Despite her pleading, Veronica hadn't stopped mercilessly working my cock."

    "The mix of give and take, of going out on a limb from loneliness, of being caught up in sexually-charged abandon..."

    "A yearning look in search of a connection,{i}of taking it where you can get it{/i}, and putting your trust in another person."

    mc "Mmh, hh-"

    "And again, that word. {b}Conquest.{/b} Boiling over from my mind and scalding my insides with a ruinous desire to blank the entire world white with my cum."

    mc "I can't say how you'll feel about it later, but... a-ah..."

        "You promise she won't be walking afterward":

            mc "I can promise you that you won't be able to stand up after this."

            ver "Ha! Fat fucking chance! Have you seen my legs?"

            mc "I've got m-my work cut out for me!"

            ver "Oh, yeah...? Hehe... let's take a look at yours."

            "Veronica stopped, leaving my loins with a needy, lonely ache."

            mc "Why are you stopping...? I'm--"

            ver "Because I'm not going to need these."

            mc "Guess--"

            mc "Wha, o-oh...?!"

            $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 2, channel = "music")

            "With an alarming amount of strength, and some horny-addled compliance from my end, Veronica had upended me and had my legs spread like a bitch."

            ver "Not bad, you've got some tone to them..."

            mc "Thank you...?"

        "You {i}do{/i} want to be together.":

            mc "S-speaking for myself? Tonight..."

            "She peered into my eyes, exposed and waiting."

            mc "Hnng, I don't want to be anywhere else in the world... the rest of the {i}two{/i} people part is on you!"

            ver "..."

            "Veronica stopped, leaving my loins with a needy, lonely ache -- but I didn't quite mind it so much."

            "All that dominant bluster was replaced with an adorable smile."

            mc "Mmmh, you're cute you know that?"

            ver "So are you. Do you mind if I try something?"

            mc "...I'd {i}love{/i} for you to try something."

            ver "Mmmh, good..."

            mc "What do you have--"

            mc "Wha, o-oh...?!"

            $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 2, channel = "music")

            "With an alarming amount of strength, and some horny-addled compliance from my end, Veronica had upended me and had my legs spread like a bitch."

            mc "A-ah... you want to do it like this?"

    "...suddenly, there was a funny-like {i}exposed{/i} feeling that confused my desire to fuck the whole wide earth."

    mc "I mean, you're about to--"

    ver "Ah, h-holy shit-!"

    "Yep. {i}All at once.{/i}"

    mc "Hnggg-"

    "I was instantly plunged into Veronica's embrace, trading the awkward machinations of Veronica's leg with the mind-blanking sublimity of her sex."

    mc "H-holy shit is, y-yeeep..."

    "Thankfully, she didn't just jump into it..."

    ver "Just lie there a sec. I still got time on the clock."

    "...it was like she was giving {i}me{/i} time to ease into things."

    "{i}She was so fucking tight...{/i}"

    "It was nothing like the brutish way she was milking me before, but it didn't lack in the same unyielding control."

    mc "Euugh-"

    "I couldn't even {b}dream{/b} of moving."

    ver "Your face says it all..."

    "...was she tightening herself up on purpose?"

    mc "Well, this {i}is{/i} a new one for me..."

        ver "Me too, actually. But I've always wanted to try it. You don't mind starting like this, do you?"

        mc "F-fuck, a-ah... I mean... doesn't matter how it's done, I'm going to pack you full of cum tonight."

        ver "Me too, actually. You don't mind, do you?"

        mc "W-well, a-ah... you feel... hehe... {i}could be fun{/i}."

        mct "(Who could say no to a pussy like this?)"

    ver "Good."

    ver "Let me know if it starts to hurt."

    mc "Very funny."

    ver "I'm not kidding. I'm~ gonna~ {i}fuck{/i}~ {b}you{/b} like an earthquake."

    "She spoke down to me, with a scary look of a woman delivering the judgment of God, but the only thing that formed on my lips was a meager.."

        mc "I'd like to see you try."

        mc "Good luck to us all..."

    ver "Hehe~"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "music")

    play music "music/thunder.ogg"

    mc "Hnngg-"

    "The moment she began to move, I felt many things."

    mc "Fu- fu- fuck!"

    "I felt my soul being scraped out of my body, Veronica's insides clung possessively to my shaft, pulling sweetly at my nerves as she climbed."

    ver "Oh, God-"

    "The muscles in my legs tightened, burning from being stretched in a way that they had never before had during sex."

    ver "Good, good, good, good, {b}GOOD!{/b}"

    "Most of all, I felt the impact of Veronica's descent, {i}as she let go{/i}, her muscular ass careening to the earth and all my soft, sensitive, precious bits below."

    "{i}The result was an earthquake{/i}."

    ver "Mmmh- Yeah, you look--"

    "Every {b}punch{/b} made me feel {i}uneven{/i}."

    mc "Ah, s-shut up!"

    "Disconnected."

    mc "I can't hear myself think!"

    "My being interrupted, chipped away at by Veronica's plunging hips."

    mc "Hnng, hahaaaa-♥♥"

    "I could feel the force of her weight in my bones, as it traveled from my pelvis to my ribs, and dissipated into the softly crying couch below."

    "A primal, panicky part of me feared she was going to break me."

    "That Veronica was going to fold me in half, quarter me, and trample on my unrecognizable body."

    "It was a wholly new sensation, but not an {b}unwelcome{/b} one."

    "The feeling of a woman bearing down on me, lust in her eyes, abs tightening and tits flailing."

    mc "Ahaha...♥♥♥"

    "{b}No, it felt pretty fucking good.{/b}"

    "It felt AMAZING to be discombobulated and have your brain scrambled on the down fuck of every arc."

    ver "J-just jumping into the deep end is really the best! Don't you agree, cutie?"

    mc "Hhhng-♥♥♥♥"

    "Yeah... letting her do all the work was its own brand of pleasure."

    mc "Hee, hheee-"

    "Amazing how a change in direction made novel the act of drunken rutting."

    ver "No need to say it. I can read the answer on your adorable~ face..."

    "However, as pleasurable as this was, it was only a momentary distraction."

    "A temporary setback to my plans to bathe the whole wide world in my color..."

    mc "Ha, haaat-♥♥♥♥"

    "{i}...even if the garbled moans she pried from my vocal cords told a different story.{/i}"

    ver "Hhhng--"

    "Separate from my head, my body not content with just being gobbled up, mounted its own paltry resistance."

    "My hands gripped the back of the couch with knuckle-white tension."

    ver "Ha, ha, haa~"

    "Conquer."

    "That word clacked around like a bullet in my skull."

    "{i}Conquer. Conquer.{/i}"

    "Snuffing out all my neurons."

    "{b}Conquer. Conquer. Conquer.{/b}"

    "Turning my head into mince meat."

    "{i}Rearrange Veronica's insides the same way she's doing to you.{/i}"

    "Turn the tables..."

    "My lower body pitifully pushed up, trying to fuck a little bit of myself into Veronica in return."

    ver "Hhhng, mmmhh... Ah, you..."

    "A futile effort, like trying to escape the churning sea, but there is meaning in making an effort."

    ver "...you want to switch?"

    mc "Gah, hee, y-you can tell?"

    ver "Yeah, {i}I can tell.{/I}"

    ver "...shall we?"

    "Veronica's vibe got oh so soft, all so sudden. An aura of openness and reassurance that played ticklish to my inebriated mind."

    mc "You're having fun, aren't you?"

    ver "You know what else would be fun?"

    ver "...showing you just how {i}flexible{/i} I am."

    ver "Get up, cutie."

    ver "Well? What do you think?"

    mct "(...what did I think?)"

    "Left leg pulled back, vulgarly exposing herself...?"

    "{i}Her twat was practically winking at me.{/i}"

    mc "{i}I think...{/i}"

    "{i}I'd show her what I think{/i}."

    "Not a word. Just a wry smile and a welcoming hole."

    ver "A-aahh- e-eager-"

    "There was no need to be ginger about it. I had all the intentions of matching the same fervent pace as she set, but as soon as I entered her, she closed down around me like a Venus flytrap."

    "{i}Holding me in place, not allowing.{/i}"

    mc "Hhng, you're... showing off."

    ver "What do you mean? I'm just laying here."

    mc "You're telling me you're not flexing your pelvic floor muscles?"

    ver "{b}{i}Weeeeeeell{/b}{/i}, it iiiiis the one part of me boys get to appreciate that the girlies don't."

        mc "All the better. Tighten all you want, Ronnie. Because..."

        mc "All the better. Tighten all you want, because..."

    ver "Ha, hha, haa-"

        "I wasn't going to let the chokehold she had on my dick prevent me from fucking her stupid."

        "I wasn't going to let the chokehold she had on my dick slow me down."

    "The tighter she squeezed just meant the harder I'd have to push to split her open."

    ver "Ah, d-damn it-!!"

    "Dizzying as it was pushing through a chokehold that threatened to pop my dick off, I embraced the challenge."

    mc "It's best just diving into the deep end, right? Those were your words?!"

    ver "Ah, haaaaa~ fuck yeah, they were!"

    "A challenge made all the more worth it by the enraptured look spreading on Veronica's face."

    ver "Mmmmh, {i}fuck me deep!{/i}"

    "Her eyes added, {i}\"I'd like to see you try\"{/i}."

    ver "C'mon!"

    "...but not in a mocking way. {i}It was an eager one.{/i}"

    ver "C'mon! C'mon!"

    "Over and over I rolled my hips forward into the vice only to rip myself violently free of its teeth."

    "{i}Over and over.{/i}"

    "Every thrust was a battle of attrition."

    "{i}Over and over.{/i}"

    "All for the promise of a mere brief instance of self-annihilation."

    mc "Hhhnng-"

    ver "Put your back into it!"

    "The more I thrusted, the more the redhead egged me on."

    ver "Fuck me like {i}I'm{/i} the last chance you'll ever get to use your ugly cock!"

    mc "Heeeug, f-fhuuck-!"

    "Her lust-laced provocation hit the target."

    mc "--what do you think I'm doing?!"

    "It excited something in me."

    ver "Mmmh, h-ha, y-you tell me~"

    "Fueled me."

    ver "With me, you can do it harder than any other girlie you've ploughed before."

    "{i}Combusted me{/i}."

    ver "Ha, hhh- that's it!"

    mc "Euuughh!"

    "Even on her back and gaping around my cock, Veronica felt like she was the one in the driver's seat."

    mc "F-fuck, s-shit...!"

    "{i}An expressive verdict, delivered by my lips for the situation.{/i}"

    mc "Mmmh-"

    "One suitable for the strain on my back and the fire in my calves."

    ver "--that's it! That's it, cutie-! Haat!"

    ver "Give it your all! Mmmh, give {i}me{/i} your all!"

    mc "D-dddaahm! Ahhhgg-!"

    "Words that felt like I was gladly laid at this woman's feet."

    ver "A-all for me! A-all mine! All V-Veronica's-"

    "However, the diminishing return on her own eloquence told me I wasn't the only one being turned inside out."

    ver "Pretend like, haa-"

    "I wasn't the only one whose mind was reduced down to a sauce sloshing around an empty skull."

    ver "J-just for tonight-♥♥♥ Ha-haaaa-!"

    "...but in my reduction, my drunk-ass suddenly found a thread."

    ver "B-be mine!"

    "A thread of {i}something{/i}, to follow and unravel to an understanding."

    ver "J-just b-be mine-♥♥ "

    "{i}Let's enjoy tonight. Like two people who want to be together.{/i}"

    ver "B-belong to me-!!"

    mc "A-ahh, hhaaa-"

    "Those were her words."

    mct "(She couldn't be more pointed could she?)"

    "In a lusty haze, I felt like my mind had finally appreciated the bitter-sweet meaning."

    mc "H-aha... hahahaha-!"

    ver "W-what?! Why are you--"

    "The question of who would be able to walk after this?"

    mc "Bahah, haaa-!"

    "A fun idea, but that wasn't what she wanted."

    mc "God, you're so fucking cute. Hahaha- haaa-!"

    ver "S-seriously? What the shit?"

    "She was asking for a different tempo."

    "When two people dance, it isn't a one-sided affair."

    "This, like the rest of tonight, should just be two idiots dancing."

    mc "Aaa-aah... we're dumb, aren't we?"

    ver "A-ahhh... w-where's this coming from?"

    mc "Come here, idiot!"

    ver "W-whaa-"

    play music "music/drop-the-tapes.ogg"

    mc "Dance {i}with{/i} me."

    "Why were we pitting ourselves against each other?"

    ver "A-aahh..."

    "A night like tonight?"

    ver "Ha, hahaaa-"

    "{i}Tandem{/i}."

    mc "Mmh, hhngg-"

    "We should move in tandem."

    ver "Ahhhg-"

    "Our grunting and moaning should be music."

    ver "Ahh, mmmhh- keep-"

    "Two people, writhing in the cold night..."

    ver "That's the spot, cutie. You- ahh--"

    "A coda to tonight's {i}movement{/i}."

    ver "Mmmh, you idiot-"

    "Gyrating, bumping, and {i}boogeying{/i}."

    ver "Mmmhhhh-"

    "Like this, we were melting into each other."

    ver "Mmmh, mmhmhhh--"

    "Melting into the couch."

    ver "Mh, hhh-"

    "Melting into the apartment."

    ver "F-fucking idiot...♥♥"

    "Melting into the earth itself."

        "You have a name.":

            mc "Name's [mcf]."

            ver "Ah, aaahh-"

            mc "Say it."

            ver "Mhh, nah, fuck you-"

            ver "Mhh, hhhu-"

            "{i}Say it.{/i}"

            ver "Mhh, hhhhmmm-"

            "{i}Say it.{/i}"

            ver "[mcf]..."

            "{i}That's right...{/i}"

        "Forget it. Sweet, sweet nothings.":

            mc "{i}I'm yours.{/i}"

            ver "Hee-huhh- I didn't mean it like that-"

            "Of course she didn't, but one night of escape..."

            mc "{b}I'm yours.{/b}"

            ver "A-ahhh... s-hut up."

            ver "Mhh, hhhu-"

            "{i}Don't get so self-conscious you goddamn idiot.{/i}"

            ver "Mhh, hhhhmmm-"

            "{i}I'm yours{/i}"

            ver "Hhhng, ah, haa-- o-okay..."

    mc "Ahe, hehee-"

    "Like this, we pushed into each other, slowly."

    "Nothing like before."

    ver "Mmmh..."

    "{i}Less spicy, more savory...{/i}"

    ver "...you smell good."

    "{i}In sync.{/i}"

    mc "{i}Weirdo{/i}."

    ver "Mmmmh, so what? Ah, aah-"

    "{i}In step.{/i}"

    ver "You really do..."

    "Two people moving as one."

    mc "Mhh, euuugh..."

    "Was I being swept away by the drink?"

    "{i}Probably{/i}."

    "Still, the way Veronica held and squeezed me felt like a conquest."

    ver "Ha, hhaaa-"

    "It was warm and comfortable."

    mc "Ha, haaaa-"

    "{i}A feeling that wouldn't survive the break of dawn.{/i}"

    mc "Hnng, haaaahhhk-!"

    "A feeling, I feared, that might not last the moment I busted."

    mc "Ha, hhaaa-♥♥"

    "...but one moment was as good as any."

    ver "Don't pull out..."

    "As sweet and seductive as anything that came from Veronica's mouth..."

    ver "You can shoot it inside..."

    mc "Ah, hhaa-"

    "{i}Yeah{/i}."

    ver "{b}Don't pull out.{/b}"

    "I was close and that command dressed up like a tempting request sounded good to me."

    mc "Ah, hhaa- a-alright..."

    "I wasn't going to fight it."

    ver "Ah, aaah-"

    "I wasn't going to try to hold out longer."

    ver "Mmmh, haa, come on... c'mon...."

    "{i}Like a dance, going with the flow...{/i}"

    "....................."

    ".................."

    "..............."

    "............"

    "........."

    "......"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.1, 0, channel = "music")

    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

    "Hnngg-!"

    "She pulled me in, taking everything I poured into her."

    ver "Ahh, hhaaa..."

    "It felt nice."

    ver "Hmmmhhh-"

    "It felt secure."

    ver "Ha, hhaaa... {i}good boy{/i}."

    "On the back of a tiresome morning, a long day, and the night of drinking..."

    ver "Good boy..."

    "It pulled me perilously into sleep."

    "........."

    "......"

    "...had she gotten what she wanted out of this?"

    "........."

    "......"

    ver "Ah, hhaa...? [mcf]...?"

    "No sleep."

    ver "Ahh, hhaaa-"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "music")

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(0.4, 0, channel = "ambient")

    play ambient "sound effects/boobjob.wav"

    "Not yet."

    ver "Ah, Hhh, hhaaa-"

    "No one was home upstairs."

    ver "What are you... aren't you...?"

    "At least, it didn't feel like it."

    ver "Ha, nnggg- o-okay..."

    "Part of me felt like I {i}was{/i} sleeping, but my body pushed on."

    ver "If that's what you want..."

    "That someone {i}other{/i} than me was driving my body forward into Veronica's sloppy hold."

    ver "Ah, hhhmmm- You can k-keep going..."

    "Perhaps it was the redhead's girlish coos animating my body..."

    ver "Hehea, heee... {i}I don't mind.{/i}"

    "...or foolish pride wanting to finish what I started."

    ver "Ah, hhnggg, k-keeep fuucking me...!"

    "Either way, I packed my cum deeper and deeper into Veronica's sex.."

    "{b}*Schlick, fwhhhuck, wwhhucck...!*{/b}"

    ver "Hnnggg... fhhuuuckk, hnngg..."

    "Sloshing and mixing and stirring..."

    ver "Haa...!"

    "Folding her over..."

    ver "{b}Ha, hhaaaa...!{/b}"

    "Fucking her slacked body into the couch..."

    ver "C-crazy... i-dhoiiittt... aahh...♥♥♥"

    "Stretching the night as far as I could take it."

    ver "Haat, hhaaa... Damn it, you're making it h-hard to think... I'm, haaah..."

    "Pounding."

    ver "Hnnng..."

    "Pounding. Pounding."

    ver "Wha, hhaan, hhhaaa-♥♥"

    "Pounding. Pounding. Pounding, and..."

    ver "Aah, aaaahhh-♥♥♥♥♥♥"

    "...how much time had passed before I felt Veronica tense up in my arms?"

    ver "Ghh, eeeuhhh-♥♥♥"

    "Was it as brief or long as it felt before she clamped down, quivering and pushing out the roiling cum sticking to her insides?"

    ver "Ha, hhaaaa, haha..."

    mc "Heuugh..."

    "In that time, the world became a tangled mess of limbs and torsos."

    ver "Ah, haa..."

    "Turns out, Veronica made for an..."

    ver "Mmmh, good boy."

    mc "Hehe, haa..."

    "...an extremely comfortable pillow."

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Mmmh..."

    $ history_veronica = "I took Veronica out, hoping it would be a nice reprieve from her troubles. We ended up fucking."

    play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "I woke up alone, tangled up with {i}myself{/i}."

    mct "(Had she left...?)"

    play sound "sound effects/water-splash.wav"

    mc "Fwwwwwwwhhh-!"

    "No..."

    play ambient "sound effects/water-splash3.wav"

    mct "(...splashing,)"

    mc "Heh..."

    "Bleary-eyed as I was, it kinda felt like a dream seeing Veronica of all people frolicking nude in my friend's pool, while I laid spent on the couch."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 0, channel = "ambient")

    mct "(...should I chalk this up to the alcohol, perks of the job, or greed?)"

        "Along with how quickly I promised fidelity to Hana, maybe I'm more like my predecessor Darius than I care to admit."

    "...{i}whatever{/i}"

    "I'm just glad she stuck around."

    play music "music/ocean-view.ogg"

    mc "Hey..."

    ver "....HEEEEEEY."

    mc "Felt like a swim?"

    ver "Yeeeeah... uh... nice dipping into a pool that doesn't have a bunch of screaming kids pissing in it, y'know?"

    ver "Haven't had much occasion for that, recently..."

    mc "It's cool. Ian's probably passed out in the tits of his hairdresser right about now."

    ver "Hairdresser...?"

    mc "Not really important. Point is, we don't have to rush to get out of here."

    ver "Heh. It took me forever to find out how to open the freakin' windows."

    ver "You rich pricks..."

    mc "What, I'm not--"

    "Okay, my life was pretty comfortable up to this point..."

    mc "I didn't grow up in a house with a transformable façade!"

    ver "Heh... hehehe."

    mc "What about you?"

    ver "Me...?"

    mc "Yeah, what kind of environment did you grow up in?"

    ver "Comfortably middle class. My mom married down with a career military man slash amateur athlete."

    mc "Is that where you inherited your stern looks from?"

    ver "I come by that on my own honestly -- {i}and{/i} I'll thank you for not making that comparison again."

    mc "Pfft, it was that easy to get a thank you out of you?"

    ver "Mmmh, [mcf]... {i}thank you for fucking me{/i}. Your cock is a gift to womankind."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Your words, not mine."

    play sound "sound effects/slap1.wav"

    ver "You fucking idiot!"

    ver "Get in the pool..."

    mc "...eh?"

    play sound "sound effects/water-splash2.wav"

    "*Kttthuk*"

    "And like that..."

    ver "The water's fine!"

    "...the world got a bit more wet."

    mc "...uuugh, you say that {i}BEFORE{/i} you drag someone in the pool."

    ver "Ah, damn..."

    mc "...what?"

    ver "It just occurred to me that..."

    mc "Ghhehhhkkt...?!"

    play sound "sound effects/water-splash2.wav"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/water-splash2.wav"

    ver "Mmmhh...!"

    "Somehow, under the water and from Veronica's hand, it turned out like this."

    mc "Oooght..."

    mc "*Cough* Hhhaahk...!"

    mc "Blah, eeuhk..."

    "{i}Water in my nose...{/i}."

    ver "You smell like chlorine now..."

    ver "Mmmh, too bad."

    mc "...you haven't sobered up yet, have you?"

    ver "Leave tomorrow for tomorrow."

    "The meaning was pretty clear. The rising of the sun would make the thought of casually touching like this anathema once more, but until then..."

    "Our gentle treading in the water made for one final dance."

    ver "..."

    mc "Do you still find the night suffocating?"

    ver "Yeah... and looking up at it right now is making me feel weightless."

    mc "Then why are you doing it?"

    ver "...have you lived in the city your whole life?"

    mc "I'm a surburbanite. What about you?"

    ver "Moved around a few times."

    mc "Right, military brat."

    ver "I didn't feel like I had roots until high school."

    mc "Is that when you got into track and field?"

    ver "You got it. Throwing a weighted ball doesn't sound very exciting does it?"

    mc "To be honest? I've never seen anyone do shot put."

    ver "Well... it's hardly a spectator sport, but its simplicity is beautiful."

    mc "Throwing a weighted ball is beautiful?"

    ver "Hell yeah it is. It's a rush."

    ver "Sure, there's a science behind your performance, but it {i}is{/i} simple. And that makes the competition more pure."

    ver "It's a battle against yourself. Your whole world shrinks down to a 7-foot circle and your whole being becomes one simple, precise task."

    ver "{i}Chin-knee-toe.{/i}. It'd be lonely if it didn't feel so freeing - and the drama!"

    mc "Drama?"

    ver "{i}The drama{/i}. The moment you let go of the shot, you feel it all."

    ver "A {i}weightlessness{/i}, just like I was feeling right now... followed by an anticipation that makes you want to hurl. Was the throw as good as it felt it was?"

    ver "And you forget about that anticipation just as quick it came. You just watch the shot soar, rising and cutting through the sky like a bird, like an extension of your will."

    ver "Sometimes I wonder if that's what art feels like..."

    mc "I didn't realize you were so romantic."

    ver "Then the anticipation comes back. It begins to drop."

    ver "Hurdle towards its end, short-lived. Was the throw as good as it felt it was?"

    ver "It collides with the ground. {i}You left your mark{/i}."

    ver "Then the world is no longer seven feet. You hear the crowd and the judges measure the distance."

    mc "Was it as good as it felt it was?"

    ver "Sometimes, a lot of times even... but... {i}not when it counted the most.{/i}"

    ver "...what the hell am I going to do if this week is all for nothing, [mcf]? Should I just accept being a failure?"

    "{i}...with how she connected this and that, does she really think being a silver medalist makes her a failure?"

    mc "...plenty of people have ventures that don't work out for them. They say success is built on failure."

    ver "I don't give a fuck what they say. The thought of picking myself off the ground? I just know it makes me want to vomit."

    mc "...sure, but no matter how it makes you {i}feel{/i}, shouldn't you do it anyway? I think that's what real failure would be..."

    ver "Blaaaah..."

    mc "I was thinking, tonight... have you ever thought about catering the gym to women, or say... even a gay audience?"

    ver "Not really. Shouldn't a gym be inclusive?"

    mc "Eh, I don't know... I just know if I was a tubby fuck, I'd be more embarrassed to work out around women than I would be men."

    mc "And... the bar you took me to is pretty popular, isn't it?"

    ver "Hideaway's an institution. It's got history. I don't."

    mc "Yeah, but your ex's godmother is the owner. There's probably some promotional--"

    ver "Eh. Nah..."

    "Well, I could understand if she didn't want to lean on that..."

    mc "...meh, just a drunken, half-assed thought. But, honestly... just knowing when something has run its course won't make you a loser."

    mc "Being a loser is a matter of mindset."

    mct "(...{i}just don't see it that way until the exhibition is over.{/i})"

    ver "Knowing that and believing it are two separate things..."

    mc "Eh, leave tomorrow for tomorrow, right?"

    ver "...you know, it's good talking to someone about this. And considering the secrecy behind this entire thing, it's a shortlist of someones."

        mc "I hear Mrs. Pulman keeps an open-door policy."

        mc "I hear Kathleen keeps an open-door policy."

    ver "Hehe, yeah..."

    ver "I hope getting some of {i}this{i} is worth my blathering."

    mc "What do you think?"

    ver "...I think this whole situation is fucking weird."

    mc "Tonight's been fun though. I don't think I'll forget the first woman to do {i}that{/i} to me."

    ver "Of course you won't!"

    kil "Heeeeeeeeeey! Woah, you're here and with... uhh..."

    mc "......"

    ver "..."

    mct "(Ah, crap.)"

    ver "Nice place you got, pretty boy."

    kil "Thanks! And nice tits!"

    amber "Ummm... we're seeing a lot of each other, huh? Sorry for the... {i}intrusion?{/i}"

    kil "Oh, yeah. Damn, I forgot. You called me about this! So this was who you're with..."

    mc "You mean curiosity got the better of you?"

    kil "No, I forgot! Honest! Heh, hehe... {i}you fucking killer.{/i}"

    "........."

    "......"

    kil "...soooooo since you're here, and butt naked, you wanna have a foursome or something?"

    ver "...is it weird I want to take a shit in the pool right now?"

    kil "No, I mean... come on...! Just trying to be hospitable!"

    mc "No, it's a perfectly reasonable defense mechanism..."

    kil "We're all hot and horny adults here, right? A little fun--"

    ver "I think it's time to call it a night."

    kil "No, I'll leave! I'll leave! I'll leave, don't let me--"

    mc "It's your place, dude."

    ver "Yeah, let's..."

    ver "Thanks for the hospitality."

    mc "FYI, you might want to get Alice to scrub your sofa tomorrow. I might've left some of myself on it."

    amber "U-um... w-what?!"

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    play music "music/time-piece.ogg"

    brit "Wooooooah, you weren't kiddin'. Real fuckin' stallion~"

    mc "...is that your opinion as a zoologist?"

    brit "That is my opinion as a {i}cock-hungry bitch.{/i}"

    mc "...and we really just met, huh?"

    brit "Don't play coy now! Thank you for the meal!"

    mc "A-ah..."

    mct "(I'm getting my dicked sucked at a lesbian bar. {b}That's new.{/b})"

        mct "(Sorry, Hana...)"

    mc "That hungry, huh...?"

    brit "Mmmh, mmmh, mmhhh..."

    brit "I'm starving~"

    mc "Have at it, then. All you can eat."

    brit "...but it looks so tasty that I want to {i}savor{/i} it."

    mc "I'm afraid we don't got the time for that."

    brit "Mmmh, how 'bout you feed it to me then--"

    brit "Ghhhuu-?!"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.2, 3, channel = "music")

    mc "{b}Suck it{/b}."

    brit "Mmmmhh~"

    play ambient "sound effects/fel3.wav"

    mc "If it's alright with you, I'm going to borrow your throat for the next few minutes."

    brit "Mmmh, mmhhhhh-!"

    mc "You can have it back when I pipe a fat wad down your throat, sound good?"

    brit "Mmmuh, uhhhuh-"

    "She seemed to agree with this direction, as she went with the flow, scarfing down my cock and letting me guide her head without fuss."

    mc "{i}Good girl.{/i}"

    "Something about the situation, and maybe everything up to this point, made me feel duly in control."

    brit "Gh, hhhu-"

    "I felt like I was entitled to face fuck the whole world, and she wasn't doing anything to dispel that notion."

    mc "Good {b}fucking{/b} girl, Brittany."

    "It was a unique sort of high, having my dick gliding in and out of a stranger's throat."

    brit "Hhuuh, ghhu...!"

    mct "(Is this what Ian feels when it just drops into his lap?')"

    "However, as my dick barreled into this slut's uvula, I found Veronica oddly on my mind."

    mct "(Heh... I hope Veronica gets something out of this tonight, even if it's just some haphazard fun...)"

    "Ah, fuck..."

    mct "(After all, she's got it rough, and I guess I kinda have her to thank for this.)"

    "*Chwup, fchwwup, kwwhup!*"

    mc "Good... ah..."

    brit "Mmmh, hhhhhmm-!"

    mc "That's it..."

    brit "Ghk, hhhu-"

    mc "{b}Swallow{/b} it... mmhhhmm..."

    brit "Hkk, hgggg-"

    mc "We're {b}just{/b} getting started..."

    play ambient "sound effects/fel4.wav"

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(.05, 2, channel = "music")

    "Lewd sucking filled the bathroom."

    "If anyone came in, {i}they'd know{/i}."

    mct "(At least this was the men's room at a lez bar... so, that was probably a low a chance of happening, yeah?)"

    "Not that I really cared..."

    brit "Ghh, hhhk-"

    "The privacy of a stall?"

    play ambient "sound effects/fel5.wav"

    "Turns out that was enough for me."

    mc "I'm going to go faster now, alright...?"

    "Actually, it may even be the opposite..."

    brit "Mmmh, mmmhhhhh, hhuuu-!"

    mct "(Part of me kinda wished someone would come in.)"

    "The thought alone made my balls tighten."

    mct "(Just like with Rosalind...)"

    brit "Khu, hhkkuk- hhhkkuk..."

    mct "(Ha! Damn my tastes.)"

    brit "Hkku, hhhuhhkhk-"

    "To her complete credit, she was taking it like a {b}champ.{/b}"

    brit "A-ah! You're good at this!"

    "Letting me use her face like a tool..."

    brit "Khuk, hkuk, hhhkk!"

    mct "(What. An. Angel.)"

    brit "Hkkuk, hgghhuu, hheeeuuughh-"

    brit "Hkkh, ghhuhhukk, hhhk, eeeuhuhh-"

    brit "Hkk, hhhkk, huukkk, hhhk, pphhhk-"

    "{b}What a slut!{/b}"

    mc "Ah, that's--"

    play sound "sound effects/chair-squeek.wav"

    "*Creeeeeeeeeak*"

    mct "(Ah, crap... I got my wish...)"

    brit "Hkk, hhehhh-"

    "...but I didn't stop."

    ver "Jeez..."

    ver "You fucking animal."

    mc "Ah, Veronica...?"

    ver "That's me."

    play ambient "sound effects/fel2.wav"

    mc "W-where's Olivia?! I hope she didn't ditch you..."

    brit "Hkuuk, hhhkkk-"

    "I didn't just not {i}stop.{/i} {b}I sped up.{/b}"

    ver "Actually, she's waiting outside. She's too embarrassed to come into the men's room."

    brit "Hkukk, hhhhhkkk, hhhhkk"

    ver "Kinda cute, huh?"

    brit "Hkk, hhhhhukk, hhhhhkk-"

    ver "Fuck, don't you think you should let her breathe?"

    mc "W-what are you doing in here?"

    ver "Olivia and I are heading out, but I didn't want to leave without saying a word."

    mc "A-ah, is that right...? Nice!"

    brit "Euugh, hhhk, hhhgg-"

    mc "You hear that, Brit? Mission accomplished."

    brit "Ghh, hhhhk, hhhhhk-"

    mc "My friend and your friend are going to have a great night together."

    brit "Ghhhk, hhhhk-"

    mc "Good job."

    brit "Heuuk, hhhgghhhk-!"

    mc "Have a nice night, alright?"

    ver "Yeah, {b}it's going to be a good one{/b}. But, hey, Brittany?"

    brit "Hkk, hhhk, hhhhk?"

    "That would have to suffice as acknowledgment of the redhead's words."

    ver "Olivia says thanks for taking her out tonight."

    brit "Hnngg, hggggghkk-"

    ver "And, I feel the same way, [mcf]. Friends, right?"

    mc "Yeah, {i}friends{/i}..."

    ver "Welp, we're going, then. Don't get a homicide charge, you big-dicked bastard."

    brit "Hkkuhhhkk--"

    mc "Hey, wait..."

    "{i}A thought crossed my mind, but...{/i}"

        "Disregard it.":

            mc "See you around."

            ver "No doubt."

            "......"

            "..."

            mc "Sounds like mission accomplished.."

            brit "Hkk, hhhhuuk-!"

            mc "We should probably finish things..."

            "Honestly, Veronica's sudden appearance had pushed me near the edge..."

            brit "Hkk, eeuughhk, hhhk-!"

            "All that was left was..."

            brit "Hkkk-!"

            brit "Hkkk-! Hkhhhk-!"

            brit "Geeehhuu-! Hkkk!"

            play ambient "sound effects/gulp3.mp3"

            mc "{b}Take it!{/b}"

            "I let it all out."

            brit "Hnngg, hhhggg..."

            "A nice fat load for this tubby girl's stomach."

        "Ask her to stay for a minute.":

            mc "...would you mind staying for a minute?"

            ver "Eh, why...?"

            mc "I kinda like you being there. It turns me on, but don't worry, I'm..."

            mc "...almost finished."

            brit "Hkkuk, hhhkkukk-!!!"

            "......"

            "..."

            ver "Fine, you damn freak."

            mc "T-thanks!"

            ver "Yeah, no fucking problem."

            mc "A-aah... n-not going to waste your time, so--"

            brit "Hkk, hhhkk-!"

            mc " Olivia is waiting, so--"

            "The oh-so-familiar rush hit me, pushed along by the redhead's unseen eyes and ears."

            brit "Hkk, hhhhhk-!"

            ver "You that close, huh?"

            brit "Hkk, hhhhkh-! Eeguuk, hhkkk-!"

            mc "Y-yeahh...! A-any second...!"

            ver "{b}Good{/b}. Let me hear it."

            mc "Aaahhh-"

                ver "Cum for me, {i}your highness{/i}."

                ver "Cum for me, you big dumb--"

            play ambient "sound effects/gulp3.mp3"

            mc "{b}G--ahhhh!{/b}"

            "She knew just what to say."

            mc "Hnnnnggg-!"

            brit "Hkk, hheeuuhhhh...?"

            "So I let it all out."

            brit "Hnngg, hhhggg..."

            "A nice fat load for this tubby girl's stomach..."

            mc "Drink it down..."

            ver "...ha, God. I'm going."

                mc "Thanks, Ronnie."

                mc "Thanks, Veronica."

            "......"

            "..."

    $ renpy.music.set_volume(1, 2, channel = "music")

    mc "...we did a good thing tonight, didn't we?"

    brit "Hehe, hahaa... yeeah..."

    brit "Good job us..."

        play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "......"

    "..."

    play music "music/cello-suite-No-1-G-Major-Prelude.ogg"

    movie "Am I the meanest?"

    movie "Sho'nuff!"

    mct "(How did it end up this way...?)"

    movie "Am I the prettiest?"

    movie "Sho'nuff!"

    "Well..."

    movie "Am I the baddest mofo low down around this town?"

    movie "Sho'nuff!"

    "Maybe my first inclination was when I caught a glimpse of Rosalind's skin, still damp from an afternoon shower."

    movie "Well who am I?"

    movie "Sho'nuff!"

    "Was that when the thought of how available she was crossed my head?"

    movie "Who am I?"

    movie "Sho'nuff!"

    movie "I can't hear you..."

    "Did I initiate..."

    "...or did she?"

    "The thing about Rosalind was..."

    "For one reason or another, she was very good at making it difficult to discern whose idea anything was."

    movie "SHO'NUFF!"

    rose "Should I...?"

    mc "Keep watching the movie..."

        "Ian had enough tact not to push his threesome plans on her today, but me..."

            "I had told her to relax today, yet..."

        "I had just told her to think of her stay like a vacation, yet..."

    "This kind of situation made me feel like a king."

    "Sure, I could just fold her over and crater her pussy into a busted mess, but this kind of casual attention had its own particular edge."

    mct "(And let's be honest... if she's going to be here for a few days...)"

    mc "Faster."

    "Things will only..."

        mct "(Sorry, Hana...)"

    mct "(Yeeeeah...)"

    movie "I thought that maybe it would be a great idea if I got myself a bodyguard. You know, like someone to guard my body? What girl could do worse than to have her own real-life kung fu master?"

    rose "You made it seem like this movie was hilarious..."

    mc "You don't think it is?"

    rose "Uh... well..."

    mc "...I do have a bad habit of talking these things up. But come on, wasn't that the best 80's movie title song of all time?"

    "......"

    "..."

    "She didn't reply, as if other people didn't qualify that sort of thing."

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    "{i}Whatever.{/i}"

    mc  "Mmmhh..."

    "The movie went on and on..."

    "Rosalind's hand had to be getting tired..."

    "*Shlick, schlicckk...!*"

    "She didn't stop, or complain."

    "She just played her dutiful part."

    rose "I get to pick the next movie, okay?"

    mc "Sure, but..."

    mc "Try not to check out of this one."

    "*Shlick, scchhhhlicck~*"

    mc "...we can watch whatever romantic comedy you want."

    rose "That's sexist."

    "......"

    "..."

    rose "...and {i}Broadcast News{/i} is a classic."

    mc "Fine. We'll watch that next."

    mct "(I hadn't seen it.)"

    "*Shlick, scchhhhlicck~*"

    "........."

    "......"

    "...{i}yeah.{/i}"

    "*Shlick, scchhhhlicck, fwhhhhaap~*"

    "Selfishly one-sided, but..."

    movie "You possess the power of the Glow~"

    "This was a nice night after a long day. The whole vibe even felt cozy and nostalgic..."

    "*Shlick, sshhhliiick*"

    "Although there was the usual squeaking in my guts..."

    "Foul feelings, dripping down from my amygdala and soaking into my fiber as the pressure built in my loins."

        "So, for a moment, I let my soul marinate."

        "So, for a moment, I let my soul marinate."

    "...or meditate?"

    "{i}However you put it{/i}."

        "I thought of all the goodwill I felt earlier in the day, and how flimsy it now felt."

    "All my pretenses seemed so small in face of my looming orgasm, but I knew one thing..."

    "I'd cum, it'd be over, and then we'd watch another movie..."

    mc "Uugghh..."

    mct "(Just hold on...)"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    mc "Uggghh... I'm...!"

    mct "(Just hold on!)"

    "........."

    "......"

    "...!"

    play sound "sound effects/spurt.wav"

    mc "Ghhaaa-!"

    "{i}I'd cum, the black feelings would leave me, and my selfishly one-sided cozy feelings would be secured.{/i}"

    "........."

    "......"

    "..."

    rose "I'll go clean it up."

        "She'd accept it all...?"

        "The feelings still lurked, but..."

        "{color=#FF1493}\[Fullest Deal]{/color} No need to get a towel when she's already equipped to deal with it." if w2RosalindPhoto == True:

            play music "music/leaving-home.ogg"

            mc "Use your tongue."

            "She was so keen on this, right...?"

            rose "Uh...?"

            mc "Don't dirty a towel. {b}Use your tongue{/b}."

            "It'd be easy to mistake the hard-up mother as having a blank look on her face."

            mc "Lap it up."

            "......"

            "..."

            "Naturally, anyone would pause over such a degrading request."

            rose "Heh, {i}alright{/i}."

            "I didn't think that was quite it."

            "There was a lot turning inside her head, but I was too cum-dum and drenched feelings of shit to have any hope of discerning if she was loathing me or coming to a practical acceptance."

            mct "(Maybe both...)"

            "I wanted to say a lot of mean things, but instead I stayed quiet."

            "If she's going to be here a few days, they'd be other opportunities for that."

            "...."

            rose "...all done."

            mc "Good girl."

            rose "...is this what you had in mind when you told me to stay with you?"

            "{i}No. It wasn't.{/i}"

            "Turns out, it didn't matter what I had in mind."

            "The rest of the night ended up relatively mundane."

            "......"

            "..."

            play ambient "sound effects/boobjob.wav"

            man "Almost there!"

            vic "Gh-!"

            man "You get to breathe when you drain my balls!"

            vic "Haeeeuch-!"

            "............................................................"

            ".............................."

            "..............."

            man "Stupid bitch."

                play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            "........."

            "......"

            "..."

            play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

            play music "music/crinoline-dreams.ogg"

            mc "Mmmh..."

            mct "(Yesterday was an anomaly...)"

            mc "{i}Heh...{/i}"

            mct "(Back to not having any trouble sleeping.)"

        "Ignore what you're thinking.":

            mc "Nah. Let me. I made the mess."

            rose "...?"

            "It was the least I could do..."

            mc "In the meanwhile. Find out where we can watch {i}Broadcast News{/i}."

            "......"

            rose "...okay!"

            "If she's going to be here a few days..."

            "...will I be able to further help myself?"

            rose "......"

            rose "..."

                play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

            "....."

            "..."

            "The rest of the night ended up relatively mundane."

            play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

            play music "music/crinoline-dreams.ogg"

            mc "Mmmh..."

            mct "(Yesterday was an anomaly...)"

            mc "{i}Heh...{/i}"

            mct "(Back to not having any trouble sleeping.)"

        "{color=#696969}\[Fullest Deal] No need to get a towel when she's already equipped to deal with it.{/color}" if w2RosalindPhoto == False:

    "The rest of the night was low-key."

    "Every so often I {i}felt{/i} her presence."

    "...but the day passed by quickly."

    "And strong woman she was, she settled into a comfortable equilibrium."

    "Or perhaps that is just what I selfishly hoped."

    movie "Am I the baddest mofo low down around this town?"

    movie "Sho'nuff!"

    "Yes. A low-key evening, ushering me into a better sleep than the night before."

    "........."

    "......"

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    play music "music/crinoline-dreams.ogg"

    $ date = "june17day"

    mct "(Yep...)"

    mct "(Back to not having any trouble sleeping.)"

    mc "{i}Heh...{/i}"

    "It only took one day for me to reset."

    play sound "sound effects/door-openclose.wav"

    "When I got home, I found Rosalind settled in."

    mc "Oh, hey. Sorry for just disappearing on you like that."

    rose "Don't be. I'm sure a young man like you has a busy life."

    "I didn't know if I wanted to call it \"club business\" or not..."

    mc "...it's been unusual lately."

    "......"

    "..."

    rose "I'll get you a glass of water and I'll heat up some of that stew. How does that sound?"

    "......"

    mc "...sounds brilliant."

    "Preemptive defense against a hangover?"

    "God bless her."

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/sting-bluesy-vibes.wav"

    play music "music/crinoline-dreams.ogg"

    "I ended up sleeping pretty good that night."

    "I let Rosalind have the bed and surprisingly she didn't fight me about it."

    $ date = "june17day"

        "Although, she did suggest we share it..."

        mc "{i}Heh...{/i}"

        "And it also turned out that it only took me one day to reset from being disturbed."

        mc "{i}Heh...{/i}"

        "Turns out, it only took me one day to reset from being disturbed."

    mc "Uuugghhh..."

    "When I got in, Rosalind was already conked out on the couch, but I got her to move up to my bed."

    play music "music/crinoline-dreams.ogg"

    $ date = "june17day"

    "Surprisingly, she didn't fight me on it."

        "Although, she did suggest we share it..."

    mct "(Wait...)"

    "Despite the heavy drinking..."

    mc "{i}Heh...{/i}"

    "I feel refreshed...?"

    mct "(Fuckin' freak of nature...)"

    rose "Mhhh, hmmm, mmmh~"

    "Humming, from the kitchen."

    mc "Good morning."

    rose "Oh, good. You're up."

    rose "I'll heat up your breakfast."

    mc "...you've settled in nicely."

    rose "Should you say that when I'm waiting on you?"

    mc "Nope. I should say please and thank you, actually."

    play sound "sound effects/notification.wav"

    "*Beep*"

    "It was Ian."

    mct "(True to his word...)"

        mct "(Didn't this madman sleep?)"

    "........."

    "..."

    mc "...fix another plate, will you please, Rose?"

    mc "Ian's coming over."

    "He found a way to contact Darius' parents."

    "......"

    "..."

    play sound "sound effects/sting-mumbaieffect.wav"